‘No One Knew She Had It’: Shea Couleé of RuPaul’s Drag Race says cousin died from the coronavirus and is ‘growing concerned’ for ‘other family members’
Shea Couleé says a relative has died from coronavirus.
‘I just learned that a cousin of mine died today from Coronavirus,’ the Chicago native, 31, said Tuesday in a tweet that was later removed, People reported. ‘No one knew she had it, and I’m growing concerned for my other family members in her household.’
The musician and drag queen, whose full name is Jaren Kyei Merrell, added, ‘This is serious. Please stay safe everyone.’
The latest: Shea Couleé, 31, says a relative has died from coronavirus. ‘I just learned that a cousin of mine died today from Coronavirus,’ the Chicago native said Tuesday in a tweet that was later removed
Couleé landed on the show’s ninth season in 2017 and won over audiences with portrayals of Naomi Campbell and Blac Chyna.
The massive impact of coronavirus has touched a number of celebrities, as Hollywood stars such as Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Idris Elba, as well as NBA standouts Kevin Durant, Rudy Goebert and Donovan Mitchell, have all tested positive for COVID-19.
The initial case of the disease was detected in late December in Wuhan, China, which has more than 11 million residents and is a hub of outgoing and incoming flights.
It has since spread rapidly around the world, including the U.S., as all 50 states have had a resident test positive for the virus.
Gotham fun: Shea and a pal were seen in NYC July 26, 2018
Fashionistas: (L-R) Jazzmint Dash, Shea and a guest were seen last month at a NYFW show
The initial case in the states stemmed out of Everett, Washington, where a resident who’d come back from Wuhan was diagnosed with the virus. On Tuesday evening, the death total had soared to 101, the New York Times reported, with 5,600 total diagnoses on Tuesday.
Slightly more than half of the deaths have been in Washington State, with at least 30 deaths tied to a Seattle-area nursing home.
The World Health Organization has called COVID-19 a public health emergency.