NEW ORLEANS - District "B" Councilmember Jay H. Banks has issued the following statement for New Orleans residents in response to today's first COVID-19 fatality:

"New Orleans suffered its first Coronavirus death today. The threat of this virus is real and is not to be taken lightly. No one needs to lose their mind, but you can lose your life if you do not practice safe, sanitary actions during this period. Gatherings like the ones that happened along Magazine Street are unsafe, reckless and should not happen again. I am asking all of our culture bearers and all of those who love and support them to please not gather tomorrow. Super Sunday will happen when it is safe to do so. Please do not jeopardize your life, your family's lives, or any others that you may come in contact with by participating in large gatherings. 

It's just not worth it. Please pay attention to the warnings from all of the official sites and keep you and your families safe. We are all in this together, and we will all get through it together."