Report: Tom Hanks' wife suffered from 'extreme side effects' due to COVID-19 drug chloroquine

KUALA LUMPUR (April 16): Rita Wilson (pictured right), the wife of famous Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, suffered from “extreme side effects” after being treated with the COVID-19 drug chloroquine in an Australian hospital, reported The Guardian yesterday.

Wilson was in Australia with Hanks when the latter was filming a Baz Luhrmann film about Elvis Presley when both were tested positive for COVID-19 on March 12.

Both were admitted to Gold Coast University hospital in Queensland for treatment, where Wilson claimed she was given chloroquine when she recorded a fever of 38.9C.

“They gave me chloroquine. I know people have been talking about this drug. But I can only tell you that – I don’t know if the drug worked or if it was just time for the fever to break,” she told American broadcaster CBS.

“My fever did break but the chloroquine had such extreme side effects, I was completely nauseous, I had vertigo and my muscles felt very weak … I think people have to be very considerate about that drug.”

A spokesperson for Gold Coast University hospital told The Guardian that it “would not confirm” whether Hanks and Wilson were given chloroquine, but added that “selected patients” did receive the drug.

“Gold Coast Health has used a variety of medication in patients with more severe Covid-19. Chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir-ritonavir have been used on selected patients,” said another hospital spokesperson.

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