Hollywood superstar, Idris Elba, has confirmed that he has contracted the coronavirus, in a tweet the actor posted on Monday afternoon. Elba, 47, recorded a video for the announcement.
He said he learned that a person he had come in contact with tested positive on Friday which prompted him to get tested on Monday.
Flanked by his visibly concerned wife, Sabrina, the Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom actor said: “Look, this is serious. Now is the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands.”
Elba also warned about how dangerous is it that “there are people out there who aren’t showing symptoms”.
“We’ve told our families. They are very supportive. We’ve told our colleagues. Transparency is probably the best thing for this right now”, the British actor of Ghanaian and Sierra Leonean parentage added.
The actor said he is now in isolation with his yet to be tested wife.
The coronavirus pandemic, officially known as COVID-19, began in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Since then, it has spread across the world, with over 7,000 deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the disease does “not match any other known virus. The coronavirus is “a family of viruses that include the common cold, and viruses such as SARS and MERS.”
