Zac Efron May Have Typhoid But He Should Be Okay
Disney fans are on red alert right now, as Zac Efron has reportedly developed a serious illness.
What We Know
The beloved star of the High School Musical franchise is probably the most recognizable male celebrity over the last 15 years on Disney Channel. And right now, he’s in a lot of trouble.
According to Vulture, Efron came down with a viral infection while visiting Papua New Guinea just before Christmas. The actor is filming a reality television competition called – I kid you not – Killing Zac Efron.
That title feels uncomfortably literal at the moment, but the news is mostly positive. Here’s what we know. During the filming of the series, Efron fell ill and required an emergency airlift to Brisbane.
Technically, no one can confirm this story yet due to privacy laws. The medical official who treated Efron could only state that a medevac team “retrieved a U.S. citizen in his 30s from PNG to Brisbane for medical attention.”
The suspicion is that Efron developed a high fever, the first sign of a dangerous infection. After medical officials transported the patient to the hospital, they identified the possibility of Typhoid fever, a potentially fatal illness. However, there’s also a possibility that he’s suffered a “similar bacterial infection.” But that wouldn’t be great, either.
The Good News
Generally, Typhoid treatment requires 10 days of strong medication. Thankfully, Efron reportedly did well enough during his recovery that the medical staff at the hospital, St. Andrew’s War Memorial, allowed him to fly home for Christmas.
Currently, nobody’s quite sure how this could have happened. Efron should have received an immunization shot before arriving onset. Someone may have taken the show’s title too seriously and put Efron in danger.
The concept of Killing Zac Efron is that the beloved actor spends 21 days on a secluded island. There, he must live “with nothing but basic gear, a guide partner, and a will to survive.” And it certainly sounds like season one hasn’t gone as planned.
Vulture’s source indicates that Efron somehow contracted the infection during an “off-grid” filming session, whatever that means. And I haven’t even mentioned the gross part yet.
According to Vulture, Typhoid “is transmitted through water or food contaminated by the feces of an infected person.” Gross, right?
Somebody’s probably getting sued here. It’s either that or the viral marketing campaign for Killing Zac Efron has really asked a lot of him.
All kidding aside, Efron sounds like he’s recovering nicely. So, the doomsday scenario of every teen girl from 2006-2008 won’t happen. Zac Efron is sick, but he’s apparently going to be just fine.