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78,000 Medical Volunteers Respond to NY Gov. Cuomo's Plea for Help Fighting Virus at US Epicenter

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Americans are stepping up to the plate, answering the call for help after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) issued a desperate plea for his state. New York continues to be the country's epicenter with nearly 70,000 cases – more than a third of the total amount of cases in the country.

Gov. Cuomo says his state is seeing a tremendous response to his request for medical volunteers. 

"I am asking health care professionals across the country if you don't have a health care crisis in your community. Please come help us in New York now," Cuomo reiterated in a press conference Monday. "We need relief. We need relief for nurses who are working 12-hour shifts, one after the other. We need relief for doctors. We need relief for attendants. So if you're not busy, come help us, please. And we will return the favor. We will return the favor."

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Two New York City nurses have died from COVID-19 while hundreds of others have become infected as they care for patients in the state that's seen more than 1,000 deaths already.  

Even the governor's own brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo has reportedly been infected with the virus.

Despite the risk, today Gov. Cuomo shared the good news that tens of thousands of medical volunteers are stepping up to help anyway. 

"We put out a request a couple of days ago to ask (medical) retirees to come forward, we have now about 78,000 people who said that they would help," said Cuomo Tuesday. "God bless the state of New York and God bless humanity."

Delta, Jetblue and Southwest Airlines are offering free flights to healthcare professionals willing to travel to New York. 

And luxury hotels in New York City like the Four Seasons, The Plaza, and the St. Regis are providing medical professionals with free rooms to stay in so they don't have to go home and potentially expose their families to the dangerous virus. 

Other major cities like Detroit, MI, are following New York's lead in converting convention centers into hospitals. 

This week Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., joined the growing list of 37 states now under "stay at home" orders.

"Everyone in Virginia must remain in their place of residence unless they must go out for food, supplies, work, medical care or to get fresh air or exercise," Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) declared Monday. 

Virginia's Medical Reserve Corp has seen hundreds of volunteers respond to Gov. Northam's request for more volunteers as the state prepares for its own surge in coronavirus cases. 

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About The Author

Abigail
Robertson

Abigail Robertson serves as the White House Correspondent for CBN News, where she has worked since 2015. As a reporter, Abigail covers stories from a Christian perspective on American politics and the news of the day. Before her role at the White House, Abigail covered Capitol Hill, where she interviewed notable lawmakers such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. During her time on the Hill, Abigail loved highlighting how God is moving in the House and Senate by covering different ministries on Capitol Hill and sharing lawmakers’ testimonies and