UPDATED TUESDAY: Idris Elba is the latest celebrity to test positive for the coronavirus. He made the announcement Monday.
“This morning I tested positive for Covid 19,” he wrote. “I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus.”
The Golden-Globe winning star of BBC’s “Luther” and Marvel’s “Avengers” joins a list of actors who have tested positive for the virus recently, including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Kristofer Hivju of “Game of Thrones” and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko.
Elba said he was tested last Friday after someone he had been exposed to tested positive.
“Look, this is serious,” the U.K. actor warned, appearing in a social media video next to his wife, Sabrina. “Now is the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands.”
On Tuesday, he tweeted a live video update saying “It’s been a mad 24 hours” since his announcement. “It opened up a lot of conversation around it.”
“I’m feeling ok, still don’t have any symptoms,” he said, adding that his wife had now been tested. He also addressed some of the rumors going around about which populations were susceptible to coronavirus.
“Black people, please understand that coronavirus — you can get it. This disease does not discriminate.” Spreading misinformation “is the quickest way to get more black people killed,” Elba said.
On Monday, U.K. theaters closed after the government said to avoid public venues. Over 1,500 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the U.K. resulting in 55 deaths.
“We live in a divided world right now – we can all feel it,” Elba added. “It’s been bulls–t. But now is the time for solidarity, now is the time for thinking about each other.”
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. pic.twitter.com/Lg7HVMZglZ
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) March 16, 2020
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