Japanese actress Haruka Ayase tests positive for Covid-19

The Japanese star was sent to a hospital in Tokyo for treatment after testing positive. Photo: Instagram

Popular Japanese actress Haruka Ayase has become the latest Japanese celebrity to be infected with Covid-19.

Her agency HoriPro said on Tuesday (Aug 31) that Ayase suffered a mild fever on Aug 20 and took an antigen rapid test (ART), but the result was negative.

The 36-year-old then took a polymerase chain reaction test the following day and the result was also negative.

Her condition improved slightly, but her fever persisted. Altogether, she tested negative for Covid-19 three times.

The actress took another ART on Aug 26 and the test came back positive.

She had been staying at home since the onset of symptoms, but was sent to a hospital in Tokyo for treatment after testing positive.

HoriPro added she was on the route to recovery in hospital.

Ayase is a brand ambassador for Japanese skincare label SK-II and recently starred in the television series Heaven And Hell: Soul Exchange (2021).

She was planning to get vaccinated in September after completing her filming commitments as she was concerned about the side effects of the vaccine affecting her work.

She was scheduled to appear in a movie celebrating the 70th anniversary of media giant Toei Company with singer-actor Takuya Kimura, but it is unclear if filming will now be affected.

Other Japanese celebrities who have been infected with Covid-19 include comedian Ken Shimura and actor Sonny Chiba, who both died later of Covid-19 complications, as well as actor Kei Tanaka, actress Satomi Ishihara and actress Mei Nagano. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network