Tom Hanks’ sister says star is ‘not great but okay’ after coronavirus diagnosis

Tom Hanks’ sister has revealed her brother is doing ‘not great, but still okay’ after the movie star and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus, she exclusively told DailyMail.com. 

Hanks, 63, has kept his fans updated on his condition after being discharged from a hospital in Australia and moving into a rented house to self-isolate, saying he and Wilson were taking a ‘one-day-at-a-time approach’.

Hanks’ sister Sandra Hanks Benoiton elaborated, saying: ‘I have communicated with my brother. He’s not great, but still okay. [Am I] shocked? No. He’s an actor, not a god [but] medical care in Australia is good.’ 

Sandra, the star’s eldest sibling, moved to Italy with her family in 2016 and remains on lockdown herself as the country deals with the pandemic, and hopes the UK and US stay positive amid the outbreak.

Hanks’ sister Sandra Hanks Benoiton (pictured) elaborated, saying: ‘I have communicated with my brother. He’s not great, but still okay. [Am I] shocked? No. He’s an actor, not a god [but] medical care in Australia is good

The couple had posted to social media about their run-in with COVID-19, thanking their Australian carers and urging their fans to follow the advice of experts on avoiding the disease

She added: ‘We’re okay here… staying home is fine with us, and this community is wonderful. I’m lucky to be here, the spirit of the people is amazing! The US and the UK are failing miserably, however.’   

Asked about being in Italy during the shutdown, she said: ‘I’m in Pordenone province, about an hour north of Venice. The lockdown is until April 3 … so far. We’ll see what happens next.’

Hanks and his wife Rita, also 63, announced they had tested positive for the virus in Australia last Wednesday in an Instagram post, saying they had exhibited symptoms such as tiredness, chills, body aches and slight fevers.

The couple shared a photograph of themselves, along with an update on their condition, thanking fans for their continued support and advised them to stay safe.

Hanks wrote: ‘Hello folks. Rita Wilson and I want to thank everyone here Down Under who are taking such good care of us. We have Covid-19 and are in isolation so we do not spread it to anyone else.

Sandra (pictured), the star’s eldest sibling, moved to Italy with her family in 2016 and remains on lockdown herself as the country deals with the pandemic, and hopes the UK and US stay positive amid the outbreak 

The movie star was in Australia with his wife doing pre-production work on a biopic about singer Elvis Presley. The couple were spotted with their son Truman, 24, (in sunglasses and striped blue shirt) for a relaxing stroll at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, prior 

‘There are those for whom it could lead to a very serious illness. We are taking it one-day-at-a-time. There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no?’

On Monday, it was revealed by People that the couple had since left the hospital and had rented accommodation where they will remain self-quarantining until advised by medical professionals.

The movie star was in Australia doing pre-production work on a biopic about singer Elvis Presley, in which he plays the late star’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, with actor Austin Butler in the role of Elvis. 

Before their diagnosis, the couple had visited crowded Australian hotspots including Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House – raising fears that others were infected. 

There was apparently some confusion within the White House over the weekend around the Oscar-winners condition after officials were told the Forrest Gump actor had been ‘discharged’.

Before their diagnosis, the couple had visited crowded Australian hotspots including Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House – raising fears that others were infected

According to the Courier-Mail, the President took that to mean the actor had died and was preparing to announce his death on Twitter.  

Australian-based US Embassy officials had to frantically seek assurances from health officials that Hanks was in fact alive. 

The US embassy was assured the actor and his wife were both alive and their conditions had improved. 

Hanks was the first major Hollywood star to publicly state that he has the virus that has sickened more than 125,000 people worldwide and killed more than 4,600. 

Since then Idris Elba and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko have tested positive, as well as some NBA players, including Kevin Durant.