Veteran actor Forrest Compton dies from irreversible complications due to Coronavirus

Hollywood veteran Forrest Compton, known for portraying attorney Mike Karr, the central character on the long-running soap opera The Edge of Night, has passed away due to severe complications after contracting the novel coronavirus infection at the age of 94. As per reports from an international publication, the actor died on Sunday at his residence in New York.

Compton had been a household name for not only The Edge of Night but also his appearance on the CBS series Gomer Pyle: USMC as the no-nonsense Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gray. The show also starred actors Jim Nabors and Frank Sutton. The actor also has a few popular soap operas to his credit such as As the World Turns, One Lie to Live and All My Children.

Read | Patients rush to join studies testing drug for for coronavirus

Forrest Compton featured in a recurring role on the NBC series The Troubleshooters and also appeared alongside Christopher Walken in the 1991 film McBain. His last appearance on the big screen was in the year 2002 after which he retired from the industry. He is survived by his wife Jeanne Sementini.

Read | Actor Jay Benedict passes away at 68 due to health complications arising from Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic

The virus, known as COVID-19, is spread by droplets from coughs or sneezes. For most people, the virus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. In others with weaker immune systems, especially older adults and the others who are susceptible to illness, it can cause pneumonia. There is no known treatment, but some drugs have shown promise and await trials in control studies.

Read | Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's mother passes away at 82 due to Coronavirus

The deadly virus has claimed 70,798 lives across the globe and it includes many names from the film and television industry. The total number of confirmed cases has been increasing at an alarming rate with the current tally nearing 1.3 million people out of which about 2.71 lakh people have recovered due to prompt medical attention.

Read | Chinese Forrest Gump: Man runs 511 kilometres in living room while self-isolating