Broadway star Nick Cordero's wife shares update as actor undergoes emergency surgery to battle coronavirus

The wife of Tony-nominated Broadway star Nick Cordero has shared an update on his health as he continues to fight COVID-19.

Amanda Kloots took to Instagram following his emergency surgery over the weekend to tell fans that while his vitals were improving, he is still in a medically-induced coma at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA. 

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"Update on Nick: His blood pressure is better!" Kloots wrote on her Instagram Story. "Dialysis is working. They've been able to drain fluids to help inflammation. We need him to wake up. They need to see him follow commands.

"Also his right foot is not showing a pulse but the wound looks better. Breathing is a bit fast this morning," she added.

The 41-year-old Canadian actor was initially admitted into the intensive care unit for pneumonia last week, but he was misdiagnosed and soon tested positive for coronavirus. 

But Cordero's health took a turn for the worse on the weekend and he was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) — commonly known as life support — before being rushed to surgery. Kloots explained that one of his cannulas for the ECMO was stopping blood flow to his right leg, meaning he needed immediate surgery. Thankfully, the surgery was a success.

"We just [got] some good news and it's all about small wins in the ICU. Nick is getting stronger and the AMAZING doctors and nurses think they can take him off ECMO soon!" Kloots also shared on Instagram hours ago. "This would mean his heart and lungs would be functioning on their own. Anything can change in an instant, but we are staying positive! HE IS HEARING US GUYS!"

In a touching move, Kloots — who shares 10-month-old son Elvis with the actor — has asked for Cordero's friends and fans to sing and dance for him every day at 3pm while he remains in a coma.

Celebrities such as High School Musical actress Ashley Tisdale and Victoria's Secret model Devon Windsor have all shown their support, with the hashtag #WakeUpNick trending online.

Coronavirus: What you need to know 

How is coronavirus transmitted? 

The human coronavirus is only spread from someone infected with COVID-19 to another. This occurs through close contact with an infected person through contaminated droplets spread by coughing or sneezing, or by contact with contaminated hands or surfaces.

What are the symptoms of someone infected with coronavirus?

Coronavirus patients may experience flu like symptoms such as a fever, cough, runny nose, or shortness of breath. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia with severe acute respiratory distress.

What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?

The symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu are very similar, as they both can cause fever and respiratory issues.

Both infections are also transmitted the same way, via coughing or sneezing, or by contact with hands, surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus.

The speed of transmission and the severity of the infection are the key differences between COVID-19 and the flu.

The time from infection to the appearance of symptoms is typically shorter with the flu. However, there are higher proportions of severe and critical COVID-19 infections.