Tom Hanks, 63, and his wife, Rita Wilson, also 63, announced this afternoon that they have both been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
The actor posted to Instagram just after midday, with the caption:
“Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive.
“Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?
“We’ll keep the world posted and updated.
Take care of yourselves!”
Hanks and Wilson, both actors and producers, were in Australia for the pre-production of Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley film from Warner Bros.
Warner Bros has released the following statement:
“We have been made aware that a company member from our Elvis feature film, which is currently in pre-production in The Gold Coast, Australia, has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus).
We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual. The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.
The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently receiving treatment.”
Hanks and Wilson are in hospital on the Gold Coast, and are two of the 127 Australians who have been diagnosed with coronavirus.
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Four days before Wilson's diagnosis, she appeared as a guest on Nine's Today Extra program alongside hosts David Campbell and Belinda Russell.
Speaking to Deborah Knight on 2GB following the news of Wilson and Hanks' illness, Campbell said that when she arrived in the studio on Monday, Wilson made a joke saying "we shouldn't shake hands".
Instead, she suggested they "bump elbows", which Campbell said they did.
Wilson has made a number of public appearances in the last two weeks, including at the Sydney Opera House on March 7, and the Emporium Hotel in Brisbane's South Bank on March 5.
It is unknown whether Wilson was contagious at the time.
Queensland currently has 20 other confirmed cases of coronavirus, with more than 3000 people in self-isolation.
So far, Australia's death toll sits at three.
This comes as US President Donald Trump suspends travel from Europe to the US in an effort to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
The measure will be in place for the next 30 days.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has also today suspended its 2019-20 season after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the virus.
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Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
Hanks and Wilson have been married 32 years and share two children together, 29-year-old Chet Hanks and 24-year-old Truman Hanks.
Hanks also has two children from a previous marriage with Samantha Lewes.
His eldest child, 42-year-old Colin Hanks is also an actor, starring in films such as Orange County, King Kong and the Jumanji film series. Elizabeth Ann Hanks is 37 years old, and also an actress.
Top Comments
How did they get tested for caronavirus when they have been in australia since January? I thought the rules were: Tests for people who have symptoms and have come back into Australia within the last 14 days or you have been in direct contact with a confirmed case. Someone I know came back from Indonesia 3 weeks ago and only just got flu symptoms. Went to hospital to get tested but was sent home coz she didn't meet the criteria of having arrived back in the country 14 days ago or less. Do these same rules not apply for the rich and famous?
They may have had contact with a known case of the virus, and given they had symptoms, they would be eligible for testing. It is possible that rich and famous people can catch disease from normal folk, you know. ;)
I don't think they've been in Australia continuously since January. I read that they returned from the US within the last week.
Rita Wilson arrived in Australia in March to perform in Brisbane last week. Tom Hanks has been shooting his film since January, but has also been back to the US in the intervening time (for instance, he was at the Oscars last month).
My bad, When it was reported on TV they said he had been here since January and that he had likely caught it here. But then it was clarified after.
It's OK, Tom's been isolated before, just chuck him a volleyball and a permanent marker.
But he's already stranded on an island with a Wilson. ;)
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