Idris Elba has shared an update about his COVID-19 coronavirus diagnosis as he continues to quarantine himself and fight off the infection.
In a Tweet posted yesterday, Elba let fans in on his routine since he received his diagnosis. He’s been having a good time playing video games apparently and trying to learn the guitar, so it sounds like he’s on the road to recovery.
The Luther actor took the time to thanks his fans for their support as well, saying:
I appreciate all the prayers and all the thanks that people are giving us and the good wishes. The love’s coming in, and I really appreciate it. I’ll keep you updated as to how we’re doing.”
He went on to give his opinion on the mass hysteria, too, writing:
There are so many weird conspiracy theory things going about, please guys, now is not the time. If you’re sending that stuff out or manifesting it, it is not the time. People need to know facts, need to understand the truth so that they can protect themselves. Stop sending this stuff out – it’s very dangerous for all. The more we can understand the facts, the better we can deal with it.
Finally, he answered the question of how he managed to get a test so quickly, explaining:
The simple answer is that on Friday last week I was told that someone I had been in contact with had tested positive. I’m on location, about to start a film, and the news breaks that this person, who is also in the public eye, had tested positive. So, it was definitely something that I had to do, as I was about to start filming and was around a lot of people. And quite honestly, my job made me test immediately. I had to test anyway because it meant putting a lot of people at risk – if I had been exposed then the people I’d be working with would also be exposed.
The Suicide Squad director James Gunn took to Twitter yesterday to request thoughts and prayers for his good friend, but Elba isn’t the first actor to test positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus as it continues its rapid spread worldwide. The virus has also hit Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, Game of Thrones‘ Kristofer Hivju, and Quantum of Solace star Olga Kurylenko. They’re also unlikely to be the last actors to become infected considering the highly social lives many of them lead.
With over 205,000 cases and almost 8,500 deaths, the coronavirus is showing no signs of slowing down. Last week, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, prompting some countries to restrict travel and enact strict curfews and lockdowns. As the United States’ total cases reach 6,500 and 116 deaths, lawmakers are urging people to practice social distancing, leading to more and more folks choosing to stay inside and ride out the virus. It all sounds like an awfully good time to binge watch some Netflix shows, doesn’t it?
