Game of Thrones may be done, but the fight isn’t over for one star. Game of Thrones‘ Kristofer Hivju has coronavirus, and he took to his Instagram with a powerful message for the world.
The actor, who played Tormund Giantsbane on the HBO series, announced on his Instagram on Monday, March 16, that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Greetings from Norway! Sorry to say that I, today, have tested positive for COVID19, Corona virus,” he captioned a photo of him and his wife, Gry Molvaer, at home in Norway. “My familiy and I are self-isolating at home for as long as it takes. We are in good health – I only have mild symptoms of a cold.”
Hivju continued to explain how the disease, though mild for him, may be life-threatening for others, which is why fans should do what they can to “stop the virus from spreading.” “There are people at higher risk for who this virus might be a devastating diagnosis, so I urge all of you to be extremely careful; wash your hands, keep 1,5 meters distance from others, go in quarantine,” he wrote. “Just do everything you can to stop the virus from spreading.”
The actor ended his caption by calling on his followers to learn more about COVID-19 to protect those at risk, which include people over 65 and those who are immunocompromised. “Together we can fight this virus and avert a crisis at our hospitals,” he wrote. “Please take care of each other, keep your distance, and stay healthy! Please visit your country’s Center for Disease Control’s website, and follow the regulations for staying safe and protecting not just yourselves, but our entire community, and especially those at risk like the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions.”
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO.
The Game of Thrones alum isn’t the only celebrity to be diagnosed with coronavirus. Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Idris Elba have all announced that they’ve tested positive for the disease with different symptoms. Since coronavirus was first discovered in November 2019, there have been more than 180,000 cases of the disease across the world. That said, Hivju is right. We’re all in this together (in the words of High School Musical), but we can make a difference. So stay inside and wash your damn hands.