Hawaii Five-O's Daniel Dae Kim tests positive for coronavirus

The American actor urged people to push back against the rising anti-Asian racism in the US

Daniel Dae Kim has revealed that he appears to be almost recovered from Covid-19. AFP

Lost and Hawaii Five-o star Daniel Dae Kim is the latest celebrity to test positive for Covid-19, the disease cause by the novel coronavirus.

Kim announced his diagnosis in a 10-minute video posted on Instagram on Thursday. The 51-year-old American actor said he began feeling ill after returning home to Hawaii from New York, where he was filming the series New Amsterdam, in which he works as a doctor working to fight against a flu pandemic.

Kim said that after he returned to Hawaii, he began experiencing body aches, a fever and chest tightness. The actor said he had been self-isolating since his return, leaving his home only to go to a drive-through coronavirus testing facility in Honolulu.

Kim noted that the test, which involved a swab inserted into his nose, was painful but worth it. However, Kim said that he is feeling a lot better and that he expects he “will be okay”. Kim said that his family was tested for the virus as well and that all the results were negative.

In his Instagram video, Kim urged people to push back against the anti-Asian prejudice and racism that has risen in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic began.

"Please stop the prejudice and senseless violence against Asian people," Kim, who is also the executive producer of the show The Good Doctor, said. "Randomly beating elderly, sometimes homeless Asian-Americans is cowardly, heartbreaking and it's inexcusable."

Kim said that the focus should be on how to treat people and contain Covid-19, not on where the virus began.

“Yes, I’m Asian. And yes, I have coronavirus. But I did not get it from China, I got it in America. In New York City,” Kim said in the Instagram video. “Despite what certain political leaders want to call it, I don’t consider the place where it’s from as important as the people who are sick and dying.”

Many responded with heartfelt messages to Kim on his Instagram video, including some of his Lost co-stars, who have lent their support for the American actor.

"Great post- Very informative and reassuring- DDK for president- you need to get into politics," Henry Ian Cusick, who played Desmond Hume on the show, wrote.

"Glad you and the fam are all safe and that you’re on the mend. Very scary for you. Sending so much love," Emilie de Ravin, who played Claire Littleton on the show, wrote.