"This morning I tested positive for COVID-19," the Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw actor announced on Twitter on March 16. "I feel OK, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus," he captioned a video alongside wife Sabrina Dhowre. "Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I'm doing 👊🏾👊🏾 No panic."
He explained in the video that he "got a test immediately" and began to self-quarantine after learning that he was exposed to someone who had tested positive.
"It sucks," he said, before encouraging fans to take precautions. "Looks, this is serious. Now's the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands."
Then, a week later, Dhowre revealed she had also contracted the virus.
The couple gave fans an update on their health while sitting down remotely with Oprah Winfrey for the first episode of her new series "Oprah Talks COVID-19," which is available to watch for free on Apple TV+.
"I tested positive," she said, noting that she wasn't "surprised" by the news.
Dhowre went on to share that even after learning her husband had potentially been exposed to the virus, she made the decision to fly out to be with him.
"As soon as I heard that Idris was potentially exposed, I mean, I was on the my way anyway, I wanted to be with him," she said. "I think that's an instinct as a wife. You just want to go and take care."
"We didn't change the way we interacted," she added. "I could have made a decision to put myself maybe in a separate room or stay away, and I'm sure that people are making those decisions that are tough decisions to make. But I made the decision to be with him and still touch him."
Elba explained that on the day he may have been exposed to the virus, he and his wife had been together - and they continued to spend time together until he left for New Mexico for work.
"If I had caught it, she had certainly caught it in that time period as well," he said.
The actor went on to point out that while social distancing is very important, he and his wife "made a calculated decision as a family to stick together through this."