Celebrity actor Zac Efron confirmed on Twitter yesterday that he has recovered from a serious illness he contracted while filming his adventure-action series for Quibi in Papua New Guinea. The tweet reads, “Very thankful to everyone who has reached out. I did get sick in Papua New Guinea but I bounced back quick and finished an amazing 3 weeks in P.N.G.”
Reports confirm that Efron did contract bacterial infection while shooting the short-form series in Papua New Guinea. While it is not certain what the infection was, some sources speculate that it may have been typhoid fever, a bacterial illness that causes high fever and stomach pain, and in some extreme cases may cause internal bleeding and death. The illness is caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water, and the World Health Organization estimates that typhoid causes up to 161,000 deaths each year. The American Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that the best way to prevent typhoid fever is with typhoid vaccine, recommended for international travelers.
After contracting the infection just before Christmas, Efron was transported to hospital in Brisbane, Australia, where he was treated for several days. After extensive treatment, the actor was approved to be released and was allowed to return to the United States for the holidays. Efron’s tweet seemed to indicate that the actor was happy to be back home safe: “I’m home for the holidays with my friends and family. Thanks for all the love and concern, see you in 2020!”
Despite Efron’s illness, the Quibi docuseries he was working on in Papua New Guinea appears to be continuing on as planned. The series, ironically titled Killing Zac Efron, follows the titular actor on a 21-day “off the grid” adventure traveling through the jungle of the island nation. A premiere date for the series has not yet been announced.