CORONAVIRUS: New York governor begs for help as virus claims former Congo president

The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo has sent an SOS after putting out an urgent plea for medical volunteers to help stem the outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus which has already claimed 1,200 lives in the city.

“Please come help us in New York now. We need relief,” Governor Cuomo pleaded as the number of dead in New York State climbed past 1,200, with most of those victims dying in New York City.

“Whether it’s Detroit, New Orleans, it will work its way across the country,” Cuomo added late on Monday.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Zimbabwe begins 3weeks lockdown

Meanwhile, former president of the Republic of Congo, Jacques Joaquim Yhombi-Opango, has died in Paris from complications related to coronavirus which was first recorded in Wuhan, China.

He was 81 years old. His family said he had been ill before contracting the virus.

Mr Yhombi-Opango led Congo-Brazzaville from 1977 until he was toppled in 1979 by the country’s current leader, Denis Sassou Nguesso.

He went into exile in France, before being allowed to return home 10 years later.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now