Published 14:15 IST, April 14th 2020
US pastor who defied Coronavirus safety protocols succumbs to COVID-19; wife also infected
The pastor's wife is also reported to have the virus and the daughter has now urged people to maintain social distancing in order to stop its rampant spread
Bishop Gerald O. Glenn, a pastor who had defied all safety protocols and decided to hold a Church congregation claiming that the "God was greater than the virus" has sadly passed away due to coronavirus on Saturday, April 11.
Pastor dies in USA
In a Facebook post, The New Deliverance Evangelistic Church announced that Glenn had passed away and requested the followers to respect his family's privacy as they grieve.
A few weeks earlier, he had announced that he will be not be stopping any service citing "God is greater than this dreaded virus" and that people who came to Church are 'healed'.
The pastor's wife is also reported to have the virus and the daughter has now urged people to maintain social distance in order to stop its spread.
USA's Count
USA has reported 5,82,594 cases of the virus with 23,649 deaths so far - a worldwide high. At a press briefing on Monday evening, US President Trump said that the country will be open and will "successfully open" soon. He added that he will be speaking to Governors to give the information needed to re-open the states.
During the press briefing at the White House, President Trump said, "I want to thank the various Governors, health professionals, scientists, and business leaders for their incredible hard work and input over the past month and long beyond a month. I have been having many discussions with my team and top experts and we are very close to opening our country even ahead of schedule and that's so important. We will soon finalize new and important guidelines and give Governors the information they need for safely opening their states. My administration's plan and corresponding guidelines will gove the American people the confidence they need to begin to return to normal life. We want our country open and we want to return to a normal life. Our country is going to be open and it will be successfully open."
Updated 14:15 IST, April 14th 2020