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MANILA, Philippines – Actor Daniel Dae Kim announced on Thursday, March 19, that he has tested positive for the coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
The 51-year-old Lost star took to Instagram to share his diagnosis and personal journey on “fighting the coronavirus,” in the hopes that “you find it informative or helpful.”
“Hope you all stay safe, calm, and above all, healthy,” Daniel wrote, posting a 10-minute video of him sharing his experience.
Daniel was diagnosed on Wednesday, March 18, “ironically” after playing his latest role as a doctor that is recruited to help patients during a flu pandemic. As soon as the “real-life pandemic” happened, his show New Amsterdam stopped production. From New York City, he flew back to his family in Hawaii.
When his flight landed in Hawaii, Daniel said he felt a “scratchiness” in his throat.
“It’s important for you guys to know that I was asymptomatic during all of this time. To be safe, when I got home I quarantined myself in a room in the house and tried to rest on my own,” he said.
His symptoms worsened – Daniel indicated a “tightness in his chest, body aches, and a fever – which prompted him to visit a drive-through facility that just opened in Honolulu for a test that involved shoving a “huge swab into your nose and into your throat.”
Daniel reiterated the importance of safety measures and precautions, calling out the “teenagers and millennials who think this is not serious.”
“Please know that it is. And if you treat this without care, you are potentially endangering the lives of millions of people, including your loved ones. So for the sake of everyone else, please follow the guidelines: socially distance, self-isolate, stop touching your face, and of course, wash your hands,” he added.
Daniel also spoke about the “prejudice and senseless violence” that Asian people have been experiencing since the outbreak, and how “name-calling gets us nowhere.”
“Randomly beating elderly, sometimes homeless Asian Americans is cowardly, heartbreaking and inexcusable. Yes, I’m Asian, and yes I have coronavirus, but I did not get it from China. I got it in America. In New York City. And despite what some political leaders want to call it, I don’t consider the place where it’s from as important as the people who are sick and dying,” the actor said.
“I believe that quality healthcare for all is a right, not a privilege. Everyone who meets the qualifications to be tested should be. Because the virus doesn’t care about race or gender, religion, sexual orientation, whether you’re rich or poor, or your immigration status. Only we seem to care about that,” Daniel said, pointing out that he did not expect any special treatment from anyone at any point.
The Hawaii Five-O and Angel star is the latest Hollywood celebrity to publicly announce his diagnosis. Other celebrities include Game of Thrones actor Kristoger Hivju, Bond actress Olga Kurylenko, and Idris Elba. Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson were released from an Australian hospital after their quarantine on Tuesday, March 17. – Rappler.com
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