Colin Hanks thanks fans for 'outpouring of support' after Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus

Tom Hanks' oldest son Colin has thanked friends and fans for their support after the actor and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus.

Colin, 42, assured his Instagram followers that his father and step-mother are "receiving excellent care" in Australia, where Tom had been gearing up to film Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic.

"We are so grateful for the outpouring of support from everyone," he wrote.

"My parents are receiving excellent care in Australia and are doing well (and in good spirits) given the circumstances.

"Despite the fact that I'm in LA and haven't seen them in over three weeks, we have been in constant contact and am confident that they will make a full recovery."

Tom announced news of his diagnosis with a post on Instagram earlier today, revealing that he and his wife had felt "a bit tired, like we had colds" and experienced "some body aches" and "slight fevers" before being tested.

"To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive," he wrote.

"Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?"

Production has since been halted on Luhrmann's film, with Warner Brothers confirming in a statement that the studio's "top priority" is "the health and safety of our company members."

Colin's younger brother Chet also posted a video assuring fans that his parents were "not tripping" about the diagnosis" and that they are "fine."

The couple are the first major US celebrities known to have contracted Covid-19, which has become a pandemic.