Body & Fitness

Kiwi TV presenter Richard Wilkins upbeat despite testing positive for Covid-19 after meeting Rita Wilson

Richard spent time with Rita and her Hollywood star husband Tom Hanks, who both tested positive for the virus - and now he has a positive test result too.
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New Zealand-born TV presenter Richard Wilkins has tested positive for Covid-19 after meeting with Rita Wilson in Australia.

The 65-year-old Australia-based Weekend Today host and Channel 9 Entertainment Editor briefly met Wilson during her visit to the network’s studios.

Wilson and husband, Hollywood megastar Tom Hanks, are currently in isolation at Gold Coast University Hospital in Australia after both testing positive for coronavirus last Thursday.

Tom Hanks had been filming an upcoming Elvis Presley biopic and Rita Wilson had performed a show at the Sydney Opera House.

Wilkins came in close contact with Rita Wilson when she appeared on Today Extra and he also met with Wilson during her show at the Sydney Opera House.

A Channel 9 spokesman confirmed the news on Sunday and said: “Richard is not showing any symptoms of the virus and has been self-isolating, on his own at home, since Thursday last week.”

Wilkins has taken to Twitter to speak about the ‘bizarre feeling’ of catching the virus, writing:

“It’s actually a bizarre feeling to have tested positive to this thing we’ve all been talking about.

“I feel 100 per cent… no symptoms at all! Thanks again… love to all RW xx’

Today Extra hosts David Campbell and Belinda Russell are now both in self-isolation because they came in contact with Wilson at Channel 9.

Both hosts have tested negative, a Channel 9 spokesman said.

Earlier on Sunday, Today show weatherman Tim Davies announced he will be in self-isolation as well.

Wilkins’ diagnosis has come as Australia’s coronavirus death toll jumped to five on the weekend and Prime Minister Scott Morrison ordered all people entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days, with fines and even jail time for those who don’t comply.

Meanwhile in New Zealand the number of confirmed cases in New Zealand now sits at eight.

Over the weekend Jacinda Ardern introduced “some of the widest ranging and toughest border restrictions in the world”, which include:

1. Anyone entering New Zealand from any country aside from the Pacific Islands is required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.

2. A temporary ban on all cruise ships coming into New Zealand until at least 30 June 2020.

Ardern emphasised that the new border restrictions “apply to people, not products”.

“We will be working to ensure we keep freight routes open for imports and exports – so there’s no need to rush out and stock up at the supermarket.”

Ardern is using social media to keep New Zealanders updated on the latest developments as well as how to stay well.

The seventh and eighth cases in New Zealand both have overseas links.

The seventh was a man in his 60s visiting from Australia.

He arrived in Wellington from Brisbane on 14 March on Flight Air NZ 828 and had been tested for Covid-19 in Australia but took the flight before his test results had come through.

Health authorities were informed later that morning of the positive test and the man is now symptom free and in isolation with his partner.

It was disappointing that he took the flight in the first place and at best it may have inconvenienced people or at worst put people at harm, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield has said.

The eighth case is a woman in her 30s from Denmark who arrived via Doha on flight QR920 on Tuesday 10 March and then flew from Auckland to Christchurch on Jetstar flight JQ225. She travelled to Queenstown in a private rental vehicle. She was hospitalised in Queenstown.

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