American billionaire Mike Bloomberg is helping New York develop coronavirus test and trace programme

Billionaire philanthropist and former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg will be helping the state develop and carry out an aggressive programme to test for coronavirus and trace people who have had contact with infected individuals.

“Michael Bloomberg will design the programme, design the training, he is going to make a financial contribution,” New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced at a press conference in Albany.

“He has tremendous insight both governmentally and from a private sector business perspective in this.”

As New York continues to boost its capacity to test for the virus, Cuomo said tracing and isolating people who have come into contact with infected individuals will be key to containing the disease.