Coronavirus Update: Members Of Bay Area Metal Bands Sick After Return From European Tour

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Band and crew members for Bay Area thrash-metal groups Testament, Exodus and Death Angel have become sick since returning from a recent European tour, with some testing positive for COVID-19 according to social media posts.

The three local bands traveled through Europe together last month for The Bay Strikes Back Tour 2020 and returned after the end of the tour on March 11. Two dates, the Feb. 25 concert in Milan, Italy, and the tour-ending March 11 concert in Hannover, Germany, were cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus throughout the continent and measures being taken to slow the spread.

The first indications that individuals on the tour came back sick surfaced a week ago when Death Angel was forced to cancel an appearance at the Heaven and Hell Fest in Mexico City, stating in a Facebook post that half of the band and crew were ill since returning from Europe.

Later in the week, reports that Death Angel drummer Will Carroll has been hospitalized also surfaced on Facebook, though there was no official confirmation that he had been diagnosed with coronavirus.

On Friday, Exodus guitarist Gary Holt posted on Instagram that he and his wife had both gotten tested for COVID-19 and were set to wait for test results in 7-10 days.

The same day, he posted about Carroll, saying that the drummer was in ICU and wishing him well. On Sunday afternoon, Testament's official Facebook page posted that singer Chuck Billy and his wife as well as a number of the band's crew had tested positive for the coronavirus.

"We wanted to reach out to everyone who has been supporting us and expressing concern to inform you that we are doing what's right, and what's safe, and have all been quarantining ourselves since our return home; since before we were even tested," the post read.

All of the above posts garnered responses from fans and friend wishing all involved a quick recovery and return to health.