The Consular-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in New York, Ben Okoye has announced the death of 3 Nigerians who died of Coronavirus in the United States of America.
A statement made available to the media on Sunday says the first victim is Laila Abubaka Ali who was 60 years old from Kano State. She died on Wednesday, March 25 while receiving treatment at the Lincoln Hospital Bronx, New York.
The second victim is 25-year old Bassy Offiong. A final year Chemical Engineering student in the Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo .
Also read: Coronavirus: First death outside China reported in Philippines
The statement says the last case is a medical practitioner, Reverend Dr. Calev Anya from Ohafia in Abia State. He died while rendering service to humanity at the forefront of the Coronavirus pandemic in New York on the 1st of April 2020.
The statement reads in part “… On behalf of the Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York, I wish to extend our condolences to the families of the deceased Nigerians in this uncertain circumstance”.
The statement reads further that “… Finally, as we jointly manage this difficult time, let me also commend and appreciate deeply the medical personnel and other essential workers who placed their lives at the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic to save lives.
…We are particularly very proud of the Nigerian medical professionals in the USA who formed part of the incredible service to humanity at this time”.
The New York Consulate is currently closed in line with the host authority’s directive.