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Tom Hanks Details Coronavirus Symptoms: I Was ‘Wiped’ Out After Exercising for 12 Minutes

Tom Hanks Details Coronavirus Symptoms: I Was ‘Wiped Out’ After Exercising for 30 Minutes
Tom Hanks arrives at the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 09, 2020 in Hollywood, California.Shutterstock

In recovery mode. Tom Hanks is opening about his battle with coronavirus following his successful recovery from the respiratory illness.

Related: Stars Who Tested Positive for Coronavirus

The Forrest Gump actor, 63, revealed on Thursday, April 16, that he and his wife, Rita Wilson, had very different symptoms while fighting the disease in an Australian hospital.

“Rita went through a tougher time than I did,” Hanks said during an interview with the National Defense Radio Show. “She had a much higher fever. She had lost her sense of taste and sense of smell. I had some bad body aches and was very fatigued, and that’s how the COVID-19 went through us.”

The two-time Oscar winner went on to share that he attempted to stay fit by doing 30-minute stretches and “old man things” while undergoing treatment, but didn’t have the stamina to finish a full workout.

“I was wiped after 12 minutes,” he revealed.

Related: Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s Relationship Timeline

Hanks and Wilson, 63, tested positive for COVID-19 in early March, while filming the upcoming Elvis Presley biopic in Australia, and were immediately hospitalized and placed into isolation. The Philadelphia actor explained that the Australian doctors’ swift reaction to their diagnosis was due to early detection.

“It was relatively early in Australia’s response to the coronavirus, and they wanted us to not give it to anyone else,” he explained. “That’s why we were in lockdown.”

Hanks previously spoke about his battle with the virus, which has infected more than 2.3 million people worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, while hosting Saturday Night Live.

Related: Stars Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic

He joked at the time that he was “the celebrity canary of the coal mine for the coronavirus” and “more like America’s dad than ever before since no one wants to be around me very long and I make people uncomfortable.”

“But now my wife and I are doing fine, doing great. We’re hunkered down, like all of us should be. In fact, this suit, this is the first time I’ve worn anything other than sweatpants since March 11,” he said about his quarantine attire. “My wife had to help me put it on.”

Hanks and Wilson, who married in 1988, returned to Los Angeles on March 27.

Given the constantly evolving nature of COVID-19, Us Weekly wants our readers to have access to the most accurate resources. For the most up-to-date coronavirus information, guidance and support, consult the CDCWHO and information from local public health officials. If you’re experiencing coronavirus symptoms, call your primary care provider for medical advice.

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