U.S. basketball legend Patrick Ewing down with COVID-19

U.S. Basketball hall-of-famer Patrick Ewing announced on Friday that he has contracted the coronavirus and has been hospitalised.

Ewing, who is now the head coach of Georgetown University basketball team shared his status on Twitter, along with a statement by the university.

“I want to share that I have tested positive for COVID-19. This virus is serous and should not be taken lightly,” the Jamaica-born Ewing said.

“I want to encourage everyone to stay safe and take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Now more than ever, I want to thank healthcare workers and everyone on the front lines. I’ll be fine and we will all get through this.”

Here is the statement by the university:

The 57 year-old Ewing played basketball between 1985 and 2002, predominantly for New York Knicks.

In other news, Guinean singer Mory Kante, who helped introduce African music to a world audience in the 1980s, has died in the capital Conakry, his family said. He was 70. Kanté died in a hospital on Friday, May 22 in the capital, Conakry, aged 70.