Coronavirus forces Stonebwoy to call off New York show

Reggae/dancehall artiste Stonebwoy has cancelled the ‘Stonebwoy Live in New York’ concert which was slated for Friday, March 13, 2020 after New York officials placed an indefinite ban on gatherings of more than 500 people as part of drastic measures to try curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The restrictions announced by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday came as the number of infections in the state tripled since Sunday, with dozens of new cases in New York City, where millions of residents typically rub shoulders with millions of visitors drawn by its sparkling cultural scene, The New York Times reports.

For weeks, the mayor has sought to allay fears over the outbreak, resisting calls to close schools or cancel large-scale events such as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and urging New Yorkers to continue to live their lives. But his tone shifted dramatically on Thursday; at one point, he suggested that there would be 1,000 positive cases by next week as testing increased.

A statement released by management of Stonebwoy, Friday morning, said the team “tried everything in our ability to make this show happen, however the government has restricted every large gathering at this time as seen on every major news.”

According to the statement, the show has been postponed indefinitely, adding that “the new tour dates will be announced as soon as the ban is lifted.”

“We share in your disappointment surrounding this news. As always, thank you for your understanding, patience, and continued support for Stonebwoy,” it further stated. 

Meanwhile, Ghana has confirmed two cases of the COVID-19, being the first cases to be reported in the country.

The Ministry of Health disclosed in a statement on Thursday that the two confirmed cases were received at the same time from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.

It has emerged that one of the victims is a senior official at the Norwegian Embassy in Ghana while the other is a Turkish citizen.

About coronavirus

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. 

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. 

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. 

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

source: ghanaweb.com