Amitabh Bachchan and son Abhishek test positive for COVID-19, hospitalised
Mumbai: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan on Saturday said they had tested positive for COVID-19 and been admitted to a city hospital.
The Bachchans, who are at Nanavati Hospital, shared their health update on Twitter.
Abhishek said both his father and he had had mild symptoms and requested everybody to be calm and not panic. While Amitabh is 77, Abhishek is 44 years old.
I have tested COVID positive. Shifted to Hospital. Hospital informing authorities, family and staff undergone tests, results awaited, Amitabh tweeted. "All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested, he added.
He has been moved to the isolation ward of the hospital, Nanavati Hospital sources told PTI.
Soon after his father posted his tweet, quelling speculation about his health, Abhishek also tweeted.
"Earlier today both my father and I tested positive for COVID 19. Both of us having mild symptoms have been admitted to hospital. We have informed all the required authorities and our family and staff are all being tested. I request all to stay calm and not panic. Thank you," Abhishek tweeted.
"The BMC has been in touch and we are complying with them," he added.
Within minutes of Amitabh's post, the get well soon wishes began pouring in, flooding Twitter and other social media platforms.
Fans and his colleagues from the film industry posted their best wishes for the star, one of India's most loved and best known actors. Get well soon sir, said veteran Malayalam actor Mammootty.
Take care, sir. Love you. Awaiting your tweet when you say you're fine & going back home, wrote filmmaker Kunal Kohli.
Actor Bipasha Basu said she was praying for his speedy recovery. South superstar Mahesh Babu and Dulquer Salmaan as well as actors Pankaj Tripathi, Nimrat Kaur, Rajkummar Rao and director Hansal Mehta were among those who sent him their wishes.
Get well soon Amit uncle. All my love and prayers, actor Sonam Kapoor replied on his tweet.
Amitabh has been active on social media through the lockdown, which began on March 25 to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
The actor, who was roped in by the government in March to help spread awareness about the pandemic, has been frequently posting on Twitter and Instagram as well as his blog, sharing advice on a range of issues.
He has also been sharing throwback pictures with family and friends, motivational quotes, anecdotes about his cinema journey and celebrating anniversaries of his various films.
He was last seen in Shoojit Sircar's Gulabo Sitabo, which released on streaming platform Amazon Prime Video last month.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
