Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek hospitalized for coronavirus

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his son  Abhishek hospitalized for coronavirus

Amitabh  Bachchan, who is India's most famous film star, said he had been "shifted to hospital" after contracting the virus.

Amitabh Bachchan and his son  Abhishek Bachchan have tested positive for the coronavirus and are hospitalized with mild symptoms in Mumbai. The Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital said that Amitabh is stable with mild symptoms and is currently admitted in an isolation unit.

The 77-year-old actor tweeted on Saturday, "I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests, results awaited ..All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested!"

"Family and staff undergone tests, results awaited," he added.

His son Abhishek Bachchan also tested positive for Covid-19 and is in hospital with him. Their residence 'Jalsa' has now been declared a containment zone.

A living legend in Hindi-language cinema, Bachchan has made more than 180 films in a career spanning five decades. Hailed by many as India's greatest living actor, he is revered in his home nation.

Bachchan starred in his first film in 1969. Since then, he has dominated the silver screenfor nearly half a century -- most of India's 70 years as an independent nation.

Bachchan is one at least 849,553 people in India who have contracted the virus. Only Brazil and the United States have identified more cases than India.

The country has 292,258 active cases, while 534,620 patients have recovered, according to India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. At least 22,674 people have died from the virus.

New cases have been rising at an alarming rate. Authorities in the country announced Sunday morning they had identified another 28,637 coronavirus patients over the previous 24 hours -- the fourth day in a row in which the country set a new daily record for infections.