Harambe, the beloved lowland gorilla who was shot and killed in 2016 after befriending a little boy at the Cincinnati Zoo, has died from coronavirus/COVID-19 in New York City.

The city recently announced 3,700 new COVD-19 deaths that have been added to the staggering death tolls coming out of that city. One estimates put the number of COVID-19 deaths in the city at just above all the deaths in the entire world for the last month.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must announce that Harambe the gorilla has died from coronavirus in New York Presbyterian Hospital,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said, holding back tears. “This pandemic has stolen one of the greatest people this city has ever known.”

Despite being dead for over three years, Harambe has made a comeback and even polled well in his bid to become the Democratic nominee for president in 2020.

His death from coronavirus comes as a shock to the local community.

“People say that this disease is only affecting elderly people with chronic conditions. Well, I’m here to tell you that it can affect young, healthy lowland gorillas too. Harambe was in the prime of his afterlife. Everyone needs to take this seriously,” de Blasio added.

De Blasio has made an exception to the social distancing rules for people to attend Harambe’s funeral, which will be held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday.

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