Covid 19 coronavirus: Detroit bus driver dies after complaining of coughing passenger

Jason Hargrove died after pleading for the public to take the virus seriously. Photo / Supplied

A bus driver in the US city of Detroit has died from coronavirus after publishing a video complaining about callous passengers coughing on his bus, in a death that the city's mayor put down to somebody who "just didn't care".

Jason Hargrove went on to Facebook on March 21 criticising a female passenger who he said coughed repeatedly without covering her mouth.

"We out here as public workers, doing our jobs, trying to make an honest living to take care of our families, but for you to get on the bus and stand on the bus and cough several times without covering up your mouth … that lets me know that some folks don't care. Utterly don't give a f***, excuse my language," Hargrove said in the video.

Hargrove singled out the coughing woman for her behaviour, saying that the virus needed to be taken seriously because "there's folks dying out here".

Last week, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan revealed that Hargrove had died from Covid-19.

He urged the public to watch Hargrove's video, saying: "I don't know how you can watch it and not tear up. He knew his life was being put in jeopardy, even though he was going to work for the citizens of Detroit every day, but somebody just didn't care.

"Somebody who didn't take this seriously and now he's gone."

The Amalgamated Transit Union issued a statement revealing that Hargrove left behind a wife and warning that nearly 20 per cent of Detroit's bus drivers were in quarantine due to potential coronavirus exposure

NeedToKnow3

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website