Idris Elba has tested positive for coronavirus. The actor shared on Twitter that he had recently been exposed to someone who had tested positive for the virus, also known as Covid-19.
He appeared in a video with his wife Sabrina, who he explained hasn’t been tested, and that neither of them are showing symptoms.
In his tweet, Idris, 47, said: “This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. ‘Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing. No panic.”
The Thor star explained in the Twitter video: “I got some test results back and it came back positive, and it sucks.”
“I’m doing okay, Sabrina hasn’t been tested and she’s doing okay. I didn’t have any symptoms. I got tested because I realised I was exposed to someone who had also tested positive. I found out last Friday that they were tested positive. I quarantined myself and got a test immediately and got the results back today. This is serious. Now is the time to think about social distancing, washing your hands.”
“Beyond that there are people out there who aren’t showing symptoms and that can easily spread it. So now is a real time to be really vigilant about washing your hands and keeping your distance, okay.
”We’ve told our families, they’re very supportive. We’ve told our colleagues. Transparency is probably the best thing for this right now. If you’re feeling ill and you feel like you should be tested or you’ve been exposed, you do something about it. It’s really important. We live in a divided world right now, we can all feel it. It’s been bulls**t. But now is the time for solidarity. Now is the time for thinking about each other.”
He went on: “There’s so many people whose lives have been affected, there’s people who have lost someone that they love, to people that don’t even have it that have lost their livelihoods. This is real. I just wanted to share my news with you guys and I will keep you updated as to how I’m doing, but so far we’re feeling okay. Alright man, stay positive and don’t freak out.
The In The Long Run actor recently attended a WE Day event in London on 5 March where he posed for photos with Lewis Hamilton and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has since tested positive for the virus.
Other celebrities to have tested positive include actors Tom Hanks and Olga Kurylenko. Meanwhile Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Arnold Schwarzenegger have urged others to stay indoors to help slow the spread of the virus
