Does Daniel Radcliffe Have Coronavirus? The Truth About This Rumor
It's a global pandemic!
getty No matter how old he gets, or how many awards he wins, Daniel Radcliffe will always be Harry Potter in many people's minds. The British actor became a worldwide sensation when he brought JK Rowling's beloved boy wizard to life, and ever since then, the world has been focused on following what seems to be his every move.
Unfortunately, a recent news report suggested that Radcliffe had far bigger issues to deal with than Slytherin and Severius Snape. A recent news report suggested that the actor — who has since gone on to dominate the New York and London stages — had tested positive for COVID-19, better known as the so-called Coronavirus.
But does Daniel Radcliffe have coronavirus? Let's look at what we know about this distressing rumor.
1. Does Daniel Radcliffe have coronavirus? The rumor started from a Twitter account that appeared to be affiliated with the BBC.
An account with the Twitter handle @BBCNewsTonight, which has since been suspended for violating the Twitter rules, was the first to post that Radcliffe had tested positive for coronavirus. At first glance, the account appeared to be affiliated with the BBC, which is why the news was able to go viral so quickly. It didn't take long, though, for someone to snatch a screenshot of the tweet, which you can see below.
2. It was retweeted by the editor of Politico, who subsequently apologized for retweeting the Tweet.
Politico editorial director Blake Hounshell was one of the many journalists who retweeted the "Radcliffe has coronavirus" tweet, thereby helping to amplify the message, which subsequently went viral. When he realized that he retweeted a "fake news" tweet, however, he subsequently sent out an apology.
3. Fans were outraged at the accusation.
It didn't take long for the worldwide Harry Potter fandom to come together and denounce the stories about Radcliffe having coronavirus. "In a time of non-stop virus coverage can you at least take a second to check what you are saying is right before rushing out with inaccurate news?" wrote one user. "Who tf lied about Daniel Radcliffe having corona. Imma f**k you up for scaring me like that," wrote another user. "Please stop sharing the tweet claiming Daniel Radcliffe has coronavirus…..where do you get your news from, the Quibbler?" wrote yet another.
4. What's the truth about COVID-19?
As of this writing, the World Health Organization (WHO) is suggesting that COVID-19, aka "coronavirus," is currently in "outbreak" stages. The virus, which is a "new" strain of coronavirus that had previously been unidentified in humans, has several flu-like symptoms. Symptoms of the virus include "respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death," according to the WHO. This helpful interactive map tracks how the world's been affected by the virus.
5. The WHO is suggesting proper hygiene is the best defense against COVID-19.
According to the WHO, the best defense against contracting COVID-19 is, simply put, proper hygiene. It's important to thoroughly cook all meats and eggs, cover your mouth and nose when you cough and/or sneeze, and as always, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after you do something unhygienic (such as handling raw meat, changing a baby's diaper, picking up dog poop, or going to the bathroom).
6. Radcliffe's publicist issued a statement debunking the myth.
Almost as soon as the story about Radcliffe testing positive for coronavirus went viral, a representative reached out to the press and issued a simple, two-word statement in defense of her client: "Not true."
It's important to remain safe, and vigilant, during this coronavirus crisis.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.