On Thursday, March 12, beloved actor Tom Hanks announced on social media that he and his wife and fellow actor, Rita Wilson, had tested positive for the coronavirus. Hanks and Wilson had been on Australia’s Gold Coast, Queensland, preparing for a film shoot for an as-yet-untitled film about Elvis Presley.
Hanks posted his announcement to both Instagram and Twitter, writing that he and Wilson had been feeling rundown, decided to get tested for the virus, and received positive test results.
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“We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches,” he wrote. “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.”
Production on the film has since been shut down.
Hanks and Wilson are both 63, which places them in a somewhat elevated risk category, as the virus tends to be more serious for both older individuals and those with preexisting medical conditions.
Hanks and Wilson’s 29-year-old son Chet has also taken to social media in order to share an update on his parents. In a video he posted to Instagram, he confirms his parents’ diagnosis and shares news of their condition after having had a phone conversation with them.
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“They both are fine,” he says. “They’re not even that sick. They’re not worried about it. They’re not trippin’. But they’re going through the necessary health precautions, obviously.”
He goes on to say that he doesn’t think their diagnosis is anything to be worried about, though he appreciates everyone’s concerns and well wishes.”
“I think it’s all gonna be all right,” he says, imploring everyone to stay safe out there.
Updated information on the spread of the coronavirus continues to be posted to the websites for both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).