Actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have been diagnosed with the coronavirus while staying in Australia. He announced the news on Instagram on Wednesday night.
The thought of one of America’s most beloved celebrities infected has left many of us highly concerned for the Hollywood legend’s welfare.
Fears remain high due to the fact the star of Big and Saving Private Ryan has an underlying health condition, and at 63 years of age is in an age bracket that’s considered high risk.
Hanks has had Type 2 diabetes for several years now.
Hanks announced the news he’d contracted coronavirus by informing fans in a social media post that he and Rita had “felt a bit tired and had some body aches,” before developing slight fevers.
He continued by writing that they decided to “play things right, as is needed in the world right now” and get tested. After testing positive for coronavirus, they were advised to self-isolate.
Hanks said they would be tested and observed.
He finished by declaring he’d keep the “world posted and informed.” He included a picture of a garbage can with a medical glove and a trash bag with a hazardous waste symbol on it.
Tom Hanks has had Diabetes since at least 2013
Hanks first revealed he had Diabetes in 2013 in an interview with David Letterman.
He told the Late Show audience: “I went to the doctor, and he said, ‘You know those high blood sugar numbers you’ve been dealing with since you were 36? Well, you’ve graduated! You’ve got type 2 diabetes, young man.'”
He quickly reassured everybody by telling the audience, “it’s controllable.”
He then added that “something’s going to kill us all, Dave.”
We sincerely hope this was not meant as a prophecy, Mr. Hanks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a briefing on March 3 that “older people and people with underlying health conditions, like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes, for example, were about twice as likely to develop serious outcomes versus otherwise younger, healthier people.”
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said, “this seems to be a disease that affects adults and most seriously older adults.”
She continued, “Starting at age 60, there is an increasing risk of disease, and the risk increases with age.”
The CDC has recommended that anyone over the age of 60 and anyone with underlying health conditions should stock up on essential groceries and be prepared for a lengthy stay at home.
Many fans online have expressed concern for the two-time Oscar winner.
I'm really really really worried for Tom Hanks.
He's in the age group where the virus is deadly, and he's diabetic as well, which makes it all even worse.
God, I swear, if you take him away-
— Mad (@theotwomb) March 12, 2020
One user expressed the hope that if the worst were to happen to Hanks, they too should be taken away by the virus.
Tom Hanks has the coronavirus and he's in the age group of people it can seriously harm! If Tom Hanks dies, I hope this virus takes me with him. Please get better soon sweet boo boo.
— Daniel Pukancik (@Hot_Flipper) March 12, 2020
Hanks’s son Chet Hanks posted a video to his Instagram thanking everybody for their concern, but telling us not to worry, “they don’t even seem that sick,” he said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9ndANjpBeM/
Hanks and Wilson are in Australia, shooting a movie about the life of Elvis Presley. The film is directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars Hanks as Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker.
Recently Hanks was in the news as he became the latest recipient to win the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Globes in January.
We wish both Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson a speedy recovery.