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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Jacob Stolworthy

Coronavirus: Tom Hanks' sister shares update on actor's health following diagnosis

Tom Hanks‘ sister has provided an update on his coronavirus diagnosis as the actor remains in isolation for the next week with wife Rita Wilson.

Seven days after announcing they had tested positive for the illness in Australia, Hanks sent his thanks to “the helpers” and urged the world to “take care” as the situation caused by the pandemic intensifies globally.

He assured the world that they were “healthy and well”.

Now, his sister Sandra Hanks Benoiton has provided yet another update on the actor’s condition, telling Daily Mail that he’s “not great but still OK”.

Benoiton herself is in isolation in Italy, which is in national lockdown.

“We’re OK here,” she said, adding: “Staying home is fine with us, and this community is wonderful. I’m lucky to be here, the spirit of the people is amazing.”

Hanks is in Australia to film Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic, in which he will star opposite Austin Butler as the singer’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

The film – as well as every other in Hollywood – has shut down production after Trump declared a “national emergency” and both Italy and Spain went into lockdown.​ Hanks is the highest-profile celebrity to be diagnosed with coronavirus. Others include Idris Elba, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta and Game of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju.

Find a list of every film and TV show cancelled or delayed by coronavirus here.

As the coronavirus situation intensifies around the world, many are pointing to TV shows and books that have seemingly predicted several things correctly.

A book that recently made headlines for seemingly predicting the coronavirus outbreak was Dean Koontz’s Eyes of Darkness, while another – released in 2008 – went viral for saying an illness would spread globally “around 2020”.

The Simpsons has also been highlighted for its accurate depiction of a global pandemic, while a clip from British sitcom Yes Minister went viral for mirroring the response of the British government.

Meanwhile, 2011 virus thriller Contagion has become one of most-watched films online in wake of the global pandemic

Additional reporting by Agencies

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