SCARFACE HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS
Houston rapper Scarface said he has tested positive for the coronavirus during a livestream interview with his longtime Geto Boys bandmate Willie D Thursday.
The rapper, whose real name is Brad Jordan, described a multi-week ordeal that started with an itch in his throat and included multiple stays in the hospital, pneumonia in both of his lungs, kidney failure and a fever that ran as high as 103 degrees. He also noted that, despite everything, he only officially got his positive COVID-19 test result Wednesday night. “I been to the point where I felt like I was going to die,” he said.
Jordon said the respiratory issues associated with the coronavirus were particularly brutal because he also has asthma. He said he could barely breathe and that it “felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest.”
The rapper said he wasn’t sure where he picked up the virus, noting he hasn’t been traveling lately and lives a fairly sedentary life. To that end, he urged people to take the pandemic seriously, saying, “I don’t see how nobody can even want to play them games, I don’t want to have fun that bad, where it could take my life.”
Jordon said he was still in quarantine at his house, but believed he was finally recovered from the virus. With the end in sight after such an excruciating experience, he joked, “I’m finna go fucking live now, man! Like skydiving and shit, I’m gonna go do that. We’ll go on a safari trip.”
Multiple musicians and other celebrities have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent weeks. One of the first, and most notable, was Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, while others include Idris Elba, Jackson Browne and Kevin Durant.
via: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/geto-boys-scarface-coronavirus-positive-test-973856/
Photo Credit: the source
Cops arrest group that planned orgy amid coronavirus lockdown in Spain
Undercover cops in coronavirus-battered Spain have rounded up eight people accused of violating the lockdown by organizing a drug-fueled orgy in Barcelona, according to a report.
Over 3,600 people have died in Spain from COVID-19, but that apparently did not prevent the suspects from planning the sex bash, which was organized online, according to The Sun.
Amid a twang of remorse, one of the would-be revelers tipped off the authorities, who seized drugs including cocaine and liquid ecstasy from an apartment that had been rented for a week, the news site reported.
Twenty other people had planned to show up for the romp, according to local reports.
The suspects were expected to be fined for violating the strict lockdown rules, which over 31,000 people have so far also flouted, The Sun reported.
On Wednesday, police officials said 55 people have been arrested across the country and more than 6,000 fined for violating the rules.
Photo Credit: AP/Emilio Morenatti
The Cheesecake Factory cannot afford to pay April rent because of coronavirus restrictions
One of America’s most popular restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory, reportedly cannot afford April’s rent at any of its nearly 300 locations due to the financial strain caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Cheesecake Factory’s founder and CEO, David Overton, notified the company’s landlords of their inability to pay in a March 18 letter obtained by Eater.
Overton said the company’s revenue took a hit as some restaurants were forced to close in accordance with government restrictions that have been imposed across the country to prevent the spread of the virus.
Restaurants that have remained open are only able to provide delivery and takeout services, he said.
“The severe decrease in restaurant traffic has severely decreased our cash flow and inflicted a tremendous financial blow to our business,” Overton wrote.
He added: “Unfortunately, I must let you know that The Cheesecake Factory and its affiliated restaurant concepts will not make any of their rent payments for the month of April 2020.”
The Cheesecake Factory operates 294 restaurants. It has locations in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada, according to Eater.
The company in 2019 acquired Fox Restaurants Concepts.
Overton, in the letter, said the company hopes to resume rent payments “as soon as reasonably possible.”
A company spokesperson told Eater, “We have very strong, longstanding relationships with our landlords. We are certain that with their partnership, we will be able to work together to weather this storm in the appropriate manner.”
Photo Credit: Angel Chevrestt
Homeless man treated for coronavirus released back on the streets
A homeless man in Texas who tested positive for the coronavirus is back on the streets after being treated at a local hospital for the infection, according to a report.
The unidentified man was diagnosed with COVID-19 at St. Joseph’s Medical Center last week, KHOU 11 reported.
“St. Joe’s had him in the ICU for several days and now he’s been released and unfortunately, they released him to the streets,” Tommy Thompson, CEO of the nonprofit Open Door Mission in East Houston, told the outlet.
Local homeless advocates were aware of the man and attempted to find him a place to stay, but he was instead released with nowhere to go, the outlet reported.
Now he could be putting countless others at risk, Thompson said.
“It spreads so quickly,” he said. “You look at the encampments that are all around town, you know one person gets it, they’re all going to get it.”
A hospital spokeswoman told the outlet that the facility is “following the guidelines put in place by the CDC and the Houston Health Department for treatment and discharge of any suspected COVID-19 patient.”
Still, Harris County officials told the outlet they are trying to prevent situations like this one.
“We have been planning for a scenario where we have to house folks that test positive,” a spokesman for the Harris County Office of Emergency Management told the outlet. “Certainly the case at St. Joseph’s brought that to the forefront.”
“Right now, we have some folks that have tested positive that are homeless that are in hotels, so that’s the approach we are taking now,” he added.
Officials are also looking into possible housing options for people — not just the homeless — needing a place to quarantine away from family.
The Open Door Mission has agreed to give at least nine of its beds to the county — with the option to expand to 28 — for homeless people who are recovering from the coronavirus and other conditions.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/03/24/homeless-man-treated-for-coronavirus-released-back-on-the-streets/
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Man foaming at the mouth charged for allegedly yelling ‘corona,’ coughing in cop’s face
An Illinois man who was “foaming at the mouth” yelled “corona” and deliberately coughed in a Chicago cop’s face when the officer responded to a car accident, authorities allege.
Anthony Ponzi, 21, was “highly agitated” when Chicago police responded to the scene of a crash Sunday in the city’s Rogers Park section, according to an arrest report obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
Ponzi then yelled “corona, OK” and coughed directly into an officer’s face as the cop tried to check the Wilmette man for signs of impairment, police said.
The officer “immediately felt particles of saliva/breath” on his face, according to the arrest report.
Ponzi, who appeared in court Monday on charges including aggravated battery to a peace officer, twice deliberately coughed into the cop’s face, Cook County prosecutors said.
The cop attempted to “diminish the effect of the contamination” by tilting his head to one side and stepping backwards, according to a police report.
Ponzi, who was also charged with battery, resisting arrest and DUI, later told staffers at a hospital that he did not have COVID-19, a Chicago police spokesman told the Tribune.
Ponzi’s attorney, meanwhile, told a judge during Monday’s court appearance that the college sophomore is currently receiving treatment for mental health issues and substance abuse.
A judge ordered that Ponzi be released on his own recognizance, citing his lack of a criminal record and the possibility that he may have been inebriated during the alleged assault.
“I am concerned with the battery of a police officer … particularly spitting, especially in these times,” Judge Charles Beach said at a bond hearing using video conferencing software, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/03/24/man-charged-for-allegedly-yelling-corona-coughing-in-cops-face/
Photo Credit: Chicago PD
Woman coughs on $35K of goods at Pennsylvania grocery store in ‘very twisted prank’
A Pennsylvania woman ruined an estimated $35,000 worth of goods by intentionally coughing all over them while the coronavirus plagues nations worldwide, a grocery store alleged on Facebook.
The woman visited a Hanover Township location of the small grocery chain Gerrity’s Supermarket before 2:20 p.m. Wednesday and coughed on fresh produce, a small section of the bakery, meat case and grocery items, the store’s co-owner Joe Fasula wrote.
Authorities do not believe the woman, whose name is still unknown, is infected with COVID-19, but will “make every effort” to get her tested, Fasula wrote. The woman is also said to be a “chronic problem” in the community.
“While there is little doubt this woman was doing it as a very twisted prank, we will not take any chances with the health and well-being of our customers. We had no choice but to throw out all product she came in contact with,” Fasula wrote.
Gerrity’s Supermarket called cops immediately, and more than 15 employees worked with the Hanover Township health inspector to thoroughly clean and disinfect the store.
“The case has been escalated to the District Attorney’s Office. They have assured me that they will be aggressively pursuing numerous charges,” Fasula said.
The Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office and Hanover Township police could not be reached by The Post.
“The only silver lining to this travesty is that it gave us the unfortunate opportunity to test our protocols and demonstrate how seriously we take your safety,” Fasula said.
Luzerne County has 27 confirmed cases of the virus with one death, according to Johns Hopkins data. There have been 1,284 confirmed cases in the entire state.
A New Jersey man who was busted Tuesday after allegedly coughing on a Wegmans employee was charged making terroristic threats, obstruction of law and harassment, according to the state’s Attorney General.
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Waffle House closes 420 locations amid coronavirus pandemic
New York City (CNN Business)Waffle House just became the latest restaurant chain to shutter some of its locations amid the nation’s novel coronavirus outbreak.State and local governments across the US have issued Covid-19-related restrictions on public gatherings meant to reduce the spread of the deadly disease. Those restrictions have decimated business for dine-in restaurants throughout the country.Waffle House acknowledged how severely its nationwide business is suffering in a Wednesday afternoon statement. The company said its sales have dropped about 70% below normal levels since the Covid-19 crisis began.Only a day earlier, the company had tweeted that 365 of its locations were temporarily closed. That number was revised upwards on Wednesday to at least 420, a Waffle House spokesperson said.
“With so few customers visiting our restaurants, we are rapidly losing the ability to offer enough work hours for our associates to earn money needed to live their lives and pay their bills,” the company said. “Waffle House is striving to keep as many stores open for as long as we can in order to support as many associates as possible.”Most of the chain’s closures are in the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, according to the company.
More than 1,500 Waffle House locations remain open in “various capacities,” the company said, with 135 of them operating on limited shifts. An additional 1,278 locations have limited their business to takeout only.Waffle House also said 250 of its restaurants are offering “limited-capacity, dine-in service with social distancing protocols in place.””Hour by hour, Waffle House’s reality is changing,” the company said in its statement. “We continue to adapt as different restrictions are imposed on how businesses can operate.”Waffle House is known for staying open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even under the most dire of conditions. Most of its 1,900+ restaurants are located in the nation’s southeast.In the past, federal officials have been known to use them as a gauge to determine the severity of a hurricane, tornado or other hazards on a local area.Government officials in several states, including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California and Ohio, have ordered bars and dine-in restaurants to temporarily close or limit their business to delivery and carryout orders to comply with social distancing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The mandates have devastated foot traffic and overall business for many local restaurants across the country. Waffle House’s website now emphasizes its restaurants offer carryout orders.
via: https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/25/business/coronavirus-waffle-house-trnd/index.html
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Influencer reportedly hospitalized with coronavirus after licking toilet
A California social media prankster claims he was hospitalized with the coronavirus — just days after posting a video of himself licking a toilet bowl for a nauseating online challenge.
The TikTok personality, known as Larz, reportedly posted footage of himself in a hospital bed on Sunday, according to the Daily Mail.
“I tested positive for Coronavirus,” the 21-year-old from Beverly Hills tweeted on an account that has since been suspended, the outlet reported.
It comes just two days after the prankster, who goes by the social media handle GayShawnMendes, posted a video himself on Friday running his tongue across a public toilet as part of a bizarre — and widely criticized — “Coronavirus Challenge” on social media.
The craze — seen mainly on TikTok, a video-sharing platform — spurs users to post footage of themselves licking everything from toilets to grocery store produce.
It wasn’t clear whether Larz’s apparent infection was linked to the stunt.
It comes as the number of infected Americans soared past 55,500 as of Wednesday afternoon, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The virus has also caused more than 800 deaths across the country.
The social media influencer has previously appeared on the Dr. Phil show, where he drew criticism for boasting about how he’d licked tubs of ice cream before putting them back in store freezers, and claimed he made “lots of money” from his online following.
Photo Credit: twitter
Worker at NYC hospital where nurses wear trash bags as protection dies from coronavirus
The shortage of safety gear at one Manhattan hospital is so dire that desperate nurses have resorted to wearing trash bags — and some blame the situation for the coronavirus death of a beloved colleague.
A stunning photo shared on social media shows three nurses at Mount Sinai West posing in a hallway while clad in large, black plastic trash bags fashioned into makeshift protective garb.
One of them is even holding the open box of 20 Hefty “Strong” 33-gallon garbage bags they used to cloak themselves.
“NO MORE GOWNS IN THE WHOLE HOSPITAL,” the caption reads.
“NO MORE MASKS AND REUSING THE DISPOSABLE ONES…NURSES FIGURING IT OUT DURING COVID-19 CRISIS.”
The caption includes such hashtags as #heftytotherescue, #riskingourlivestosaveyours and #pleasedonateppe, with the “ppe” referring to “personal protective equipment.”
Meanwhile, staffers at the hospital near Columbus Circle on Wednesday tied the lack of basic supplies there to the death of assistant nursing manager Kious Kelly, who tested positive for coronavirus about two weeks ago.
Kelly, 48, was admitted to Mount Sinai’s flagship hospital on the Upper East Side on March 17 and died Tuesday night, the workers said.
“Kious didn’t deserve this,” one nurse said. “The hospital should be held responsible. The hospital killed him.”
Another nurse described “issues with supplies for about a year now,” during which it got “to the point where we had to hide our own supplies and go to other units looking for stuff because even the supply room would have nothing most of the time.”
“But when we started getting COVID patients it became critical,” the nurse said.
The nurse sources said they were using the same PPE between infected and non-infected patients and, because there were no more spare gowns in the hospital, they took to wearing trash bags to stop the spread of infection.
“We had to reuse our masks, gowns and the [face] shield,” one nurse said. “We were told, ‘You get one for the entire time until this is over.”
The nurse also said various items, including masks, wipes and Purell hand sanitizer, began “disappearing through the night.”
A spokesman for the hospital strongly disagreed, when contacted Wednesday, that they did not have the proper equipment and were not protecting their staff.
Another nurse described Kelly as “a brother to me.”
“He was willing to help others in need, especially in this coronavirus outbreak,” the nurse said.
Kelly’s younger sister, Marya Sherron, of Indianapolis, confirmed his death to The Post and said he had informed her of his illness about 10 days earlier.
“He told me he had the coronavirus,” she said. “He was in ICU but he thought he was OK. He didn’t think it was serious as it was.”
Sherron — who said she “absolutely” believed her brother was infected at the hospital — said he had “severe asthma” but was otherwise healthy.
Kelly had trouble talking due to the disease so the siblings communicated by text until his condition worsened and he stopped responding about a week ago, she said.
“I tried to get him several times but I was told by the doctors that he was on a ventilator,” she said.
Sherron said she was told on Monday that he might not pull through, and that he died about 11 p.m. Tuesday.
“We are broken,” she said.
Sherron also said she wanted the city to know “what an amazing person my brother was” and to “hold the powers that be accountable.”
“Our nurses and medical staff need protection and no one is fighting for their safety,” she said.
In a prepared statement, Mount Sinai said of Kelly’s death, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our nursing staff.”
“This growing crisis has already devastated hundreds of families and turned our frontline professionals into true American heroes,” the hospital network said.
“Today, we lost another hero — a compassionate colleague, friend and selfless caregiver.”
In January, Kelly was featured by Mount Sinai on its Web site, which quoted a letter in which he was hailed as an “angel” by Joseph Fuoco, whose late mom, Camile Fuoco, underwent almost four years of breast-cancer treatments before her death at Mount Sinai West last summer.
“Assistant Nurse Manager Kious Jordan Kelly, RN, showed my mom and us empathy and compassion that helped us get through the weekend and what was to come,” Joseph wrote.
“He went above and beyond and is an asset to the hospital.”
Photo Credit: nypost.com/facebook
Los Angeles will shut off water and power for nonessential businesses that refuse to close
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti opened his daily briefing Tuesday recognizing what may have been the first teenage COVID-19 death in L.A. County and went on to announce actions against nonessential businesses that don’t close and a new portal for recruiting medics.
He reminded young people that the virus can hit them too, urging them to stay at home and practice social distancing.
“Your behavior can save a life and take a life,” Garcetti said. “And that life could be yours.”
The mayor addressed President Trump’s remarks from earlier Tuesday about having the nation “opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” Garcetti said he didn’t think L.A. would be back to normal “in that short time.”
“We won’t extend it one day longer than we need to,” Garcetti said, but emphasized that the “safer at home” measure had to be followed through.
The mayor said L.A. is six to 12 days behind New York in being hit with a wave of positive cases.
“The peak is not here yet,” he said. “It will be bad.”
Garcetti emphasized the need for medical workers who can test, treat, heal and tend to coronavirus patients. He announced that together with L.A. County, the city has opened up a portal for medical personnel recruitment, with both paid and pro-bono positions.
“We need to be prepared for some of the darkness that is ahead,” the mayor said. “Each one of us can be a light. We can light a match of hope. We can navigate that tunnel with each other and not alone. And more importantly, what we do can ensure that more people exit that tunnel together… and that our city will rise again.”
The mayor went on to announce the “business ambassadors program” — an effort to get nonessential businesses to close.
“This behavior is irresponsible and selfish,” he said of those that remain open.
He said the Department of Water and Power will shut off services for the businesses that don’t comply with the “safer at home” ordinance.
Neighborhood prosecutors will implement safety measures and will contact the businesses before issuing further action, according to Garcetti.
“The easiest way to avoid a visit is to follow the rules,” he said.
On Sunday, Garcetti had announced the city’s online portal where high-risk residents could sign up to get tested for COVID-19. As of Tuesday, 2,800 tests were completed, according to the mayor, and in the coming three days, that capacity would double to 5,500 tests.
“Every test is crucial and I wish we could be doing so many more,” Garcetti said.
Similar to those of the past week, the press conference was held remotely with media dialing in by phone to heed social distancing rules.
The briefing came after Garcetti announced an emergency order Monday, prohibiting residential rental units from being removed from the rental market.
The mayor had also announced that restaurants and bars could deliver alcoholic beverages, as a means of stimulating business.
An L.A. City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday was cancelled until further notice.
L.A. County had 669 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday, with 11 deaths. The state had 2,566 cases with 51 deaths.
Photo Credit: fox40.com