Romani blogger known in the Czech Republic and Slovakia dies of COVID-19, posted video warning just this morning

Jozef Kmeťo, a Romani blogger living in the Czech Republic, died of COVID-19 this afternoon, as has been confirmed to news server Romea.cz by his wife. Earlier today Mr Kmeťo recorded a video warning everybody not to make light of the disease and calling on people to wear face masks. 

"Never let yourselves be influenced by people who do not believe in the coronavirus," he said in the video made just this morning."I am a living example of COVID-19."

"Today an ambulance will take me to hospital because my breathing has gotten much worse. The coronavirus is not just a common flu, that's not true," he warned. 

"Wear face masks, protect yourselves and others," Mr Kmeťo said in the video, which is now being shared by Romani social media users with the impact of an avalanche. According to his wife, Mr Kmeťo died while in transport to the hospital. 

Mr Kmeťo was a blogger writing on the Sme.sk blog site in Slovakia and later also blogged for iDNES.cz in the Czech Republic. He was the founder and operator of the Romani radio station Redakcia R1 in Slovakia.