Uh-oh! Australian Journalist Tested Positive for Coronavirus After Meeting Rita Wilson
Despite all efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus across the world, the number of positive cases in different countries continues to grow every day.
Another public personality was added to the increasing number of infected patients, with known exposure to another person who tested positive with COVID-19.
Over the weekend, veteran Australian entertainment journalist Richard Wilkins confirmed that he has tested positive for coronavirus. The 69-year-old reporter from Channel 9 said that he did not show any symptoms like fever, cough, and cold; however, he is looking into the possibility of acquiring the virus after an encounter with a person who also tested positive.
This patient is Rita Wilson, wife of Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, who were both tested positive with coronavirus while staying in Austalia.
It was on March 11 when Tom Hanks revealed through an Instagram post that he and his wife Rita acquired the virus after showing symptoms of fever, colds, fatigue and body pains.
A few days before that confirmation, the journalist met Rita at the Sydney Opera House after performing songs to promote her album "Halfway To Home." Rita's 63-year-old husband was also present in the Utzon Room to watch her performance.
On March 8, Wilkins posted a photo of him and Rita during the said show. In the picture, they are visibly closer to each other and not maintaining the "social distancing" advised by the government and health sectors.
@RitaWilson was so good at the @sydneyoperahouse last night ! She’s on @TheTodayShow Extra tomorrow pic.twitter.com/CMJk7eWaAZ — Richard Wilkins (@RichardWilkins) March 8, 2020
On March 15 -- a week after Rita and Wilkins' encounter and four days after the Hanks couple tested positive for coronavirus -- the journalist confirmed that he was also tested positive for COVID-19 even without feeling any symptoms.
"It's actually a bizarre feeling to have tested positive to this thing we've all been talking about. I feel 100% ...no symptoms at all!" Wilkins wrote on Twitter.
Hey ....sincere thanks for all the messages...I really appreciate it. It’s actually a bizarre feeling to have tested positive to this thing we’ve all been talking about. I feel 100% ...no symptoms at all ! Thanks again ....love to all RW xx — Richard Wilkins (@RichardWilkins) March 15, 2020
While it is not 100-percent sure that the Wilson has transferred the infection to Wilkins, during the journalist's interview with "Today Show Australia," he said that he believes in the possibility of acquiring the virus after his encounter with the singer.
"I went to saw Rita, and we are assuming that this is from Rita... it might not be. They've all said it could be from anyone, anywhere, anytime," Wilkins said.
It turns out that the singer was also present in Today Show's studio the following day after she and Wilkins met and even exchanged a few chats in the studio.
"I was having a chat with her, and that's probably my best guess to what happened," he added.
After Rita's diagnosis, some staff of the show practiced self-quarantine, including hosts David Cambell and Belinda Russell. The Opera House where Rita performed also canceled shows and confirmed that they would disinfect the place to avoid spreading the virus.
As of writing, there are over 18,000 positive cases of coronavirus worldwide, 298 of which came from Australia with most numbers in New South Wales. 27 out of the 298 cases already recovered, while five died.
