Warner Bros. have issued a statement following the news that Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The statement, issued Wednesday night, states:
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.
The couple are currently in Australia where Hanks is preparing to play Elvis’ manager Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic. Hanks stated that he and Wilson began to feel tired and experienced body aches and chills that prompted them to get tested for the virus. The actor seemed in good spirits in his Instagram post, but he was quick to point out that protocols will require the two to remain isolated under the watch of medical professionals until they’re better.
The COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread at an alarmingly fast pace, prompting the World Health Organization to officially declare it a pandemic on Wednesday afternoon. Total worldwide cases have exceeded 125,000 with nearly 5,000 deaths, and the virus doesn’t seem to have any interest in slowing down. Italy has been hit the worst with over 10,000 cases and 600 deaths, prompting a full shutdown of the country. Cases in the United States are increasing as well with confirmed cases surpassing 1,000 and resulting in 37 deaths.
Meanwhile, the global effects of the novel coronavirus can be seen in almost every other facet of life, too. Many schools are shutting down and asking parents to keep their children safe at home, while the bulk purchasing of items like water, soap, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper is creating shortages around the world. An increasing number of public events like gaming’s yearly E3 convention are also being canceled in hopes of helping reduce the number of new infections. China has even pushed back the release of Disney’s new live-action Mulan, while manufacturers are being hit with indefinite delays.
Circling back to Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, though, and we wish them speedy recoveries.