Hanks, Dutton released from hospital after virus quarantine
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson during their coronavirus quarantine in Australia in March. Photo: Twitter
Hollywood star Tom Hanks has been discharged from the Gold Coast University Hospital after being quarantined for the coronavirus.
The actor’s wife Rita Wilson remains in the isolation ward.
The star couple were quarantined last week after testing positive to COVID-19.
Hanks was in Queensland to work on an Elvis biopic with director Baz Luhrmann. His singer-songwriter wife performed concerts at the Sydney Opera House and in Brisbane before her diagnosis.
She also met Nine Network reporter Richard Wilkins, who has since also tested positive for the deadly virus.
Tweet from @ColinHanks
Tweet from @RitaWilson
Meanwhile, a “relieved” Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has been released from hospital after his own coronavirus diagnosis. He is in quarantine at his Queensland home – where his family has temporarily moved out.
“I’m feeling much better,” Mr Dutton told Nine’s Today show on Tuesday.
Mr Dutton tested positive to COVID-19 after waking up on Friday morning with a temperature and a sore throat and was taken to hospital and placed in isolation. His symptoms followed his return from the US – where he was photographed with US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and US attorney-general William Barr.
Peter Dutton in the US on March 7 with Ivanka Trump, William Barr and other government officials. Photo: Twitter
Mr Dutton was released from hospital to his Brisbane home on Monday. He said the hospital needed his bed for someone else.
“I only had a mild case,” he said.
Mr Dutton said he had no idea how or where he picked up the virus but believes it was in the US, where he had been attending meetings.
“But I was pretty, you know, pretty militant about the hand sanitiser,” he said.
Mr Dutton was at home with his wife and children in the days before he was diagnosed.
“They haven’t yet shown any symptoms, thank God. None of my friends, close friends have that we have spent time with over that time have time either. None of my staff.”
COVID-19 has killed 7115 people and infected more than 181,200 across the world. Five Australians are among the dead.
Mr Dutton was the first federal MP to test positive to the coronavirus.
The second is Queensland Nationals senator Susan McDonald, whose test came back positive on Monday after she experienced a sore throat and a temperature.
She remains in hospital in Queensland.
Tweet from @idriselba
Meanwhile, British actor Idris Elba has also confirmed he has the new coronavirus.
Elba, who starred in TV drama The Wire and movie Avengers: Infinity War, said in a Twitter post on Tuesday (Australian time) he has no symptoms but is isolating himself from others.
“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,” Elba, 47, wrote.
Elba said he had taken the test because he found out on Friday he had been exposed to someone who had the coronavirus. He did not identify the person.
“Stay positive. Don’t freak out,” he said in a video accompanying the Twitter post.
There are now 377 confirmed cases of the coronavirus across Australia.
-with AAP
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