Coronavirus Outbreak: Tom Hanks, Idris Elba, Kanika Kapoor, Harvey Weinstein — a list of celebs who have tested positive

As the world attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, the entertainment industry has come to a near standstill. Across the world, film festivals have been stalled, music concerts postponed, cinema halls have been shut, and movie releases  pushed indefinitely.

While many celebrities are continually stressing the importance of social distancing to contain the spread of virus, a few have announced their own battle with COVID-19.

(Follow our LIVE coverage on coronavirus )

Below is a list of major figures in the entertainment industry who have either gone public with their coronavirus diagnosis or have been confirmed to be positive by authorities.

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Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson

On 11 March, actor  Tom Hanks revealed both him and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus while in Australia.

“We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches,” Hanks wrote on Instagram in regards to their symptoms. He further added the two would be “tested, observed and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires.”

pic.twitter.com/pgybgIYJdG

— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) March 12, 2020

Ever since the diagnosis, Hanks has been regularly sharing updates for his worried fans. On Monday, Hanks tweeted that two weeks after their first symptoms surfaced, they are feeling better. 

 Idris Elba

On 17 March, Idris Elba revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus. The actor tweeted he has no symptoms so far, and has been isolated since he learnt about the possible exposure.

On 21 March, during a FaceTime interview on Oprah Winfrey’s Oprah Talks COVID-19 Apple TV+ talk show, the actor’s wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba also revealed she tested positive for coronavirus.

About his decision to go public with his diagnosis, Elba told Winfrey, “COVID-19 has come to a sort of pressure point right now but for the last two weeks, it’s been a talking point and I really felt that a lot of people didn’t know what was gonna come … It didn’t really feel relatable. There were a bunch of theories going around: it’s a conspiracy! Is it even real? And when I got tested and it came back positive, it became very real.”

Kristofer Hivju

The Game of Thrones actor revealed his diagnosis on 17 March on Instagram, alongside wife Gry Molvær Hivju. He added he was self-quarantining with his family in Norway.

“There are people at higher risk for who this virus might be a devastating diagnosis so I urge all of you to be extremely careful, wash your hands, keep 1,5 metres distance from others, go in quarantine. Just do everything you can to stop the virus from spreading,” the actor said in a video message.

Daniel Dae Kim

On 19 March, Lost and Hawaii Five-O actor Daniel Dae Kim shared with his Instagram followers he tested positive for COVID-19 after feeling slight symptoms like scratchiness in his throat.

In a 10-minute-long video clip, Kim revealed he has been self-isolating at home in Hawaii, and pointed out the fact that the virus does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender or religion. He also pleaded to everyone to stop prejudice and senseless violence against Asian people.

He reiterated although he was Asian and was diagnosed with the coronavirus, he “did not get it from China”. “I got [COVID-19] in America, in New York City. And despite what certain political leaders wanna call it, I don’t consider the place where it’s from as important as the people who are sick and dying,” he added.

Indira Varma

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A post shared by Indira (@indypindy9) on Mar 17, 2020 at 11:42pm PDT

Indira Varma, who played the role of Ellaria Sand in the epic HBO show  _Game of Thrones_, revealed she tested positive for coronavirus on 19 March. “I’m in bed with it, and it’s not nice. Stay safe and healthy and be kind to your fellow people,” she wrote.

Varma stars in the modern take of Anton Chekhov’s play The Seagull in London’s West End, which is on hold owing to the pandemic.

Olga Kurylenko

Olga Kurylenko, best known for starring in the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace and the 2013 sci-fi movie Oblivion, took to Instagram on 16 March to share her diagnosis.

On 22 March, however, the 40-year-old gave an update on Instagram stating she had completely recovered from her symptoms. “Cough is almost gone although I still cough in the mornings but then it completely goes away for the day! I’m fine,” Kurylenko wrote.

Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein tested positive for the coronavirus at a state prison in New York while serving a 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault, the head of the state correctional officers union said on Monday.

The 68-year-old former film producer, who was hospitalised with heart issues in recent weeks, was diagnosed and quarantined just days after being transferred to the state’s maximum-security Wende Correctional Facility near Buffalo.

Lucian Grainge

After being tested positive for COVID-19, chairman and CEO of Universal Music, Lucian Grainge, was hospitalised at Los Angeles’ UCLA Medical Center on 16 March.

Placido Domingo

On Monday, Spanish opera star Placido Domingo revealed he has been tested positive for coronavirus. “I feel it is my moral duty to announce to you that I have tested positive,” the 79-year-old wrote took to his official Facebook page.

The tenor’s said that he and his family were in self-isolation. He added that his health was good but despite that he decided to get himself tested after experiencing fever and cough symptoms.

Domingo urged people to wash hands frequently and maintain six-feet distance from others to stop the COVID-19 virus from spreading. He also advocated for people to stay indoors.

Kanika Kapoor

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A post shared by Kanika Kapoor (@kanik4kapoor) on Mar 20, 2020 at 1:22am PDT

Kanika Kapoor is the only Indian celebrity to have been tested positive for novel coronavirus so far. On 20 March, the singer released an official statement, in which she said, “For the past four days, I have had signs of flu. I got myself tested, and it came positive for COVID-19. My family and I are in complete quarantine now and following medical advice on how to move forward. Contact mapping of people I have been in touch with is underway as well.”

She further said she was scanned at the airport 10 days ago when she had returned from London to India, and showed no signs of the virus then, and that it has developed only in the past four days. However, on 21 March, the UP police booked Kapoor for negligence and committing acts that are likely to spread disease dangerous to life after she attended at least three gatherings in Lucknow, including a party where political leaders were also present.