COAST BLOCKBUSTER SHUT DOWN
ELVIS CREW QUARANTINED
HOLLYWOOD A-lister Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, in coronavirus isolation on the Gold Coast, are assured they are in the best place to recover as a global pandemic is declared.
The high-profile pair last night remained in Gold Coast University Hospital after testing positive and bringing the number of cases now being treated on the Gold Coast to five.
They are joined at the GCUH ward by a 32-yearold woman who recently returned from America, a 31-year-old man and a 63year-old beautician who worked at Australia Fair.
All up Queensland has had 27 cases recorded.
The positive tests, revealed yesterday morning by Hanks on his own Instagram page, prompted Elvis director Baz Luhrmann to shut down the Oxenford studios set.
Hanks is starring in the film employing hundreds of cast and crew.
Director General of Queensland Health Dr John Wakefield wouldn’t confirm if the 63-year-old Americans being treated at GCUH were Hanks and Wilson.
“Whether you are from Hollywood or Helensvale you will get great care in our health care system and we will look after you,” Dr Wakefield said.
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles added: “The one thing I can reassure Queenslanders is if you are going to get sick, if you are going to get COVID-19 anywhere in the world, Queensland is where you would want to get it.
“We have the best hospitals in the world, staffed by the best doctors and nurses and health professionals in the world. We are very well equipped to deal with this.”
In the past six weeks, Hanks has been enjoying the Gold Coast, soaking up Broadbeach beachfront walks, eating out and posing with fans for selfies whilst Wilson, a singer and actress, has been touring and peforming, including in Sydney and Brisbane.
It is believed all Queensland cases contracted the virus outside of Australia and travelled to Queensland with it, according to Queensland Health.
Hanks’ upbeat Instagram post about 11am yesterday said: “Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went.
“Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive.
“Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed,” he added.
“We Hanks will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?” Hanks wrote.
“We’ll keep the world posted and updated. Take care of yourselves! Hanx!”
Hours earlier, Luhrmann wrote to all Elvis crew and actors telling them to stay home in a letter seen by the Bulletin.
“All work activity on the production is cancelled and will not resume until further notice,” Luhrman wrote. “We appreciate everyone’s co-operation and we will be following up with more details over the next several hours.
“The health and wellbeing of our entire company is our absolute focus. Many thanks for your support as we manage this difficult situation.”
A Warner Bros Pictures spokesperson said it was aware of the positive test: “We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to
identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact.
“We are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, wishing Hanks and Wilson a “speedy recovery”, said people who had selfies with Hanks were unlikely to have coronavirus.
But she warned those in close proximity to the actor and his wife for longer periods to self-isolate.
“The Chief Health Officer has told me it is over 15 minutes of proximity, so a selfie wouldn’t count,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“It clearly shows coronavirus knows no boundaries.”
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who said his heart went out to Hanks and Wilson, revealed his own daughter Emily had been working on Elvis was self-isolating.
“I rang my daughter to see how she is. She’s at home self-quarantining as well,” Cr Tate said.
“I always look at it a glass half full. Now everyone in New York knows we have the biopic movie Elvis being filmed on the Gold Coast starring Tom Hanks. Before that, it was probably not even newsworthy.
“Now everyone’s going ‘Oh, Gold Coast is the epicentre of filming in Australia’,” Cr Tate said.
“As far as the film industry and short term is concerned – yes it will be affected. But that’s the way the world is right now.
“In the long term – we’ll come out of this.
“And I believe our film industry will go from strength to strength.”
Cr Tate said with the upcoming local government election, staff would be encouraging early voting to avoid crowds.