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Idris Elba revealed on Monday that he has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
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
"This morning I tested positive for Covid 19," he tweeted. "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 joins a growing list of notable names in entertainment who have contracted the virus. Beloved Hollywood spouses Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have tested positive for the illness. Ukraine-born actress and model Olga Kurylenko has as well. In the executive ranks, Universal Music chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge was hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19 over the weekend. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, has also tested positive for the new coronavirus.
The worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus has sickened nearly 170,000 people and left more than 6,500 dead, with thousands of new cases confirmed each day. The death toll in the United States climbed to 64, while infections passed 3,700.
Aside from forcing numerous nations to close borders, the coronavirus has had a substantial impact on the entertainment industry. High profile TV projects that have ceased production include new seasons of ABC's Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelorette; FX's Pose; Apple's The Morning Show; and Fox's final installment of Empire. On the film side, projects to press pause include Fantastic Beasts 3; Jurassic World: Dominion; The Prom; the untitled Elvis Presley biopic starring Hanks and Wilson; and Sony's Cinderella musical, starring Camila Cabello and Billy Porter, among others.
Additionally, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have ordered all movie theaters in their cities to close amid the global pandemic, an unprecedented move for two of the nation's biggest bustling cities.
Under the direction of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, it was also announced last week that all Broadway shows in New York City will suspend performances immediately, with performances set to pick back up on April 13.
Talk shows — both late-night and daytime — have also ceased production, including The Wendy Williams Show, Tamron Hall, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers, among others.
In addition to New York's GLAAD Media Awards, a number of entertainment industry events have been canceled or postponed because of the viral outbreak, including SXSW, Coachella and the Game Developers Conference.
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