Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, both 63, have tested positive for COVID-19. They are in isolation at a hospital in Australia, where the Oscar-winning actor was preparing for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic, in which Hanks portrays the King's manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
Tom Hanks is among the first major Hollywood stars to publicly share a COVID-19 diagnosis amid a global outbreak that had infected over 125,000 people and claimed more than 4,600 lives. “We felt a little tired, like we had a cold and body aches… To be sure, as currently recommended, we took the test for the coronavirus and we were told it came back positive,” Hanks wrote on Instagram.
“Now what? Medical authorities have protocols that must be followed. We Hankses are going to be tested, monitored, and isolated for as long as public health requires. There's not much we can do but take it day by day, right?” he added, sharing a photo of a hospital trash bin with a disposable glove. The couple is isolating at Gold Coast University Hospital in Queensland, northeastern Australia.
Their son, Chet Hanks, provided an update via video: “I just hung up the phone. They are fine. They're not even that sick. They are not worried… they will of course take the necessary sanitary precautions. I don't think there's much need to worry too much, but I appreciate everyone's expressions of sympathy and encouragement. I believe everything will be fine.”
The exact source of their infection remains unclear amid Australia's 140+ cases and three deaths. Rita Wilson, an actress and singer, performed at a Brisbane hotel on March 5 and Sydney Opera House on March 7. The couple also visited Sydney's tourist-heavy Bondi Beach area.
