Deja Monet

An investigation is underway after a request for 25 body bags led police to discover more than a dozen bodies at a New Jersey nursing home.

ABC 6 reports state officials have opened an investigation at Andover Rehabilitation in Sussex County after multiple bodies were removed earlier this week. Police made the shocking discovery Monday after a request was made for 25 body bags and found 17 bodies in the center’s holding area.

Congressman Josh Gottheimer said in a statement that a total of 68 people from the nursing home have died and 76 residents have tested positive for COVID-19.  40 staff members also tested positive and two nurses died after contracting the virus.

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“When they called Saturday, they were desperate for body bags and what can we do to help. Overall, we need to figure out what went on here. Did they take all the steps necessary upfront for PPE? Did they segregate those who are positive?”

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The nursing home is the largest in the state holding 500 beds and Gottheim says their primary focus is saving lives:

“How do we help the residents there and how do we keep them safe? How do they get the care they need immediately, how do we save as many lives as possible? How do we stop the spread of the virus and how do we get PPE that staffing needs? It’s triage mode to help them,”

African students are facing mistreatment in China amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  They are facing eviction and other types of discrimination due to public fears that they could spread the virus.

According to Al Jazeera, several African ambassadors have addressed the mistreatment of students and nationals in Guangzhou to China’s foreign minister. Several students exclaimed they are being evicted from their homes, been tested on multiple occasions without notice of any results and endure discrimination in public spaces.

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Al Jazeera journalist Sarah Clarke said in a statement that there is an apparent concern among China’s officials that Africans could be spreading the second wave of infections in Guangzhou:

“There is escalating scrutiny of foreign nationals, but they are targeting the Africans and the African American community. Since last Thursday we saw 114 new cases reported in Guangzhou of coronavirus infections and 16 of those were Africans.”

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A McDonald’s in #china is allegedly not permitting black people to dine in their restaurant. This follows weeks of rampant discrimination and racism towards foreigners in the China, particularly towards the African community. #blacklivesmatter #McDonalds pic.twitter.com/poyfQcBOXO

— The China Insider (@TheChinaInside2) April 11, 2020

This is what Chinese people are doing to Africans in China. pic.twitter.com/kBXQbyujpR

— Che Esq.🇬🇭🇳🇬🇬🇧 (@CheEsquire) April 10, 2020

The Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe has denied all accusations that Africans are being discriminated in the country on Saturday:

“It is harmful to sensationalise isolated incidents, China treats all individuals in the country, Chinese and foreign alike, as equals.”

 

A video circulating social media shows a Pennsylvania man being removed from a SEPTA bus by police officers for not wearing a face mask. Officials say the man refused to follow orders after the driver asked him to get off the bus.

According to NBC Philadelphia, the viral video recorded by Dupree Myers shows Philadelphia Police officers removing the male passenger around 8:25 a.m. on the Route 23 bus stop on Eleventh and Market streets. The unidentified man tries to resist officers as they are grabbing his legs and remove him off the bus. During the encounter, the passenger is yelling swear words and asking why he’s being removed.

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After being temporarily held by officers, the man said: “I want all y’all’s f—ing badge numbers, too.” SEPTA has released a statement in light of the incident saying that passengers were encouraged to wear masks in public but they will not be banned from using its transportation.

“While SEPTA urges riders to cover their faces, those who refuse will not be barred entry to the system,”

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The incident is currently under investigation and city officials stated the officers involved in the video were not enforcing the mask policy. They responded to the driver’s request after the man refused to leave the bus.

“When a bus driver says he’s kicked somebody off for any reason, our officers are going to support SEPTA in that effort. Especially given some of the challenges SEPTA has faced during this crisis.”