Actor Tom Hanks and his actress wife Rita Wilson have returned to the United States after recovering from the China-originated novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
“Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are coming home,” a report from E! News said Friday. “A source close to Hanks and Wilson, who were both diagnosed with coronavirus two weeks ago, confirmed to E! News that they’ve returned to Los Angeles after recovering from the virus in Australia.”
A photographer captured a snapshot of the duo smiling in their car, apparently driving through Los Angeles, the outlet noted.
Hanks and Wilson were some of the first visible celebrities to test positive for the virus, giving COVID-19 a Hollywood face.
On March 11, Hanks shared a statement on social media announcing the positive tests and offering the public insight into their conditions.
“Hello folks,” the “Forest Gump” actor started the post. “Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had cold hands, and some body aches. 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 tests for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive.”
“Well, now. What to do next?” he continued. “The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?”
Keeping in-line with the parents’ transparency, even rapper son Chet Hanks offered an update on the famed actors.
“What’s up everyone?” the 29-year-old said. “Yeah, it’s true. My parents got coronavirus. Crazy. They’re both down in Australia right now because my dad was shooting a movie down there.”
“I just got off the phone with them. They both are fine,” Chet, shirtless, continued. “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 said. “But I don’t think it’s anything to be too worried about.”
“I appreciated everyone’s concern and the well wishes, but I think it’s all gonna be alright,” the rapper closed. “But, I appreciate it. And, just, everybody stay safe out there. Much love.”
Since Hanks and Wilson’s announcement, other celebrities have come forward to share that they, too, have been infected by the virus, including British actor Idris Elba and former “Lost” star Daniel Dae Kim.
Kim is seemingly in recovery now, as well. The actor said in a video posted to social media last week that he credited his recovery to the “secret weapon” President Donald Trump-touted drug hydroxychloroquine.
“I need to say this in bold letters: Obviously, I am not a doctor, nor am I lawyer … So please don’t take my word as that of a medical professional,” emphasized Kim.
“That said, here is a treatment protocol I followed as prescribed by the amazing doctor,” he said. “It was what’s called a drug cocktail, which means it’s a combination of different drugs. It consisted of Tamiflu, which is an anti-viral, the antibiotic azithromycin, more commonly known as a ‘Zpack,’ a glycopyrrolate inhaler, that was used to ease breathing and the inflammation commonly associated with COVID.”
“And here’s what I consider to be the secret weapon: hydroxychloroquine,” Kim added. “This is a common anti-malarial drug that has been used with great success in Korea in their fight against the coronavirus. And yes, this is the drug that the president mentioned the other day.”