A NURSE working on the coronavirus frontline has died after it was reported hospital staff were forced to wear trash bags in lieu of protective gear.

Some of the colleagues of the Manhattan hospital have blamed his tragic death on the serious shortage of safety equipment, reports The New York Post.

Assistant nursing manager Kious Kelly died from coronavirus on Tuesday Credit: Facebook

Nurses in the NYC hospital wore wear trash bags in lieu of protective gear while working on the coronavirus frontline Credit: Facebook

It is believed assistant nursing manager Kious Kelly tested positive for coronavirus about two weeks ago.

Mr Kelly, 48, was admitted to Mount Sinai’s flagship hospital on Manhattan’s Upper East Side on March 17.

He tragically died on Tuesday night, his colleagues said.

His death follows shocking photos shared on social media, showing three nurses at Mount Sinai West dressed in black plastic bags as a method of protection.

The post read: “NO MORE GOWNS IN THE WHOLE HOSPITAL.”

“NO MORE MASKS AND REUSING THE DISPOSABLE ONES…NURSES FIGURING IT OUT DURING COVID-19 CRISIS.”

One of the employees has now claimed the hospital “should be held responsible” for the coronavirus death of Mr Kelly.

The nurse told The New York Post: “Kious didn’t deserve this,” adding, “The hospital killed him.”

A third nurse said her late colleague “was willing to help others in need, especially in this coronavirus outbreak.”

At least four staffers who worked with Mr Kelly have also tested positive for the coronavirus.

There are nine coronavirus patients being treated in the unit where Mr Kelly worked, sources said.

They added at least 40 coronavirus patients are being treated throughout the building.

2

2 New York, the epicenter of the outbreak, has more than 13,000 coronavirus cases Credit: Reuters

Mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly warned hospitals face are in desperate need of equipment - from face masks to high-tech ventilators - amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

It comes as Texas and Florida became the latest of six states to declare “major virus disasters”.

New York, California, Washington state and Louisiana have also been branded "disasters" as the US death toll soared past 860.

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More than 125 million residents in all six states are living in emergency zones, meaning that they are highest at risk of contracting the virus.

There are 61,167 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in America and 849 deaths.

A spokesperson for the Mount Sinai network didn’t immediately return The New York Post’s request for comment, and the city Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said it couldn’t immediately confirm Kelly’s death.

New York Gov Cuomo warns other states of more coronavirus hell to come and begs for help to triple hospital beds to stunt apex of hospitalised coronavirus victims

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