New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Thursday publicly thanked Rihanna for her donation of personal protective equipment to the state. New York is currently the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.
“I want to thank @rihanna and the Rihanna Foundation for donating Personal Protective Equipment to New York State,” he tweeted on Thursday. “We’re so appreciative of your help and that of so many others who have stepped up.”
As of Friday, New York reported more than 44,600 cases of COVID-19 with the state’s death toll reaching 519. Cuomo warned this week that New York hospitals will likely become overwhelmed, amid his plea for 30,000 ventilators for the state to treat the expected influx of patients infected with the novel coronavirus.
Photographs of nurses at New York City’s Mount Sinai West wearing garbage bags over their gear made the rounds on social media this week, as some nurses at the hospital complained about a lack of personal protective equipment. Kious Kelly, a 48-year-old assistant nurse supervisor at the hospital who tested positive for COVID-19, died this week.
Thank you to:
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 26, 2020
-The Office of @NewYorkStateAG for protective masks and gloves
-The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in NY (@CICU) for ventilators and PPE
-JUDY for N-95 masks
-@Huawei for N-95 masks, isolation gowns, medical goggles and gloves
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