Chris Cuomo reveals wife Cristina has COVID-19: ‘It just breaks my heart’

Chris Cuomo revealed on Wednesday that his wife, Cristina Cuomo, has contracted the coronavirus virus.

The CNN journalist shared the news during his news talk show Cuomo Prime Time, while speaking with his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"It's very rare for a family to be one and done. Cristina now has COVID. She is now positive. And it just breaks my heart," Chris said, somberly. "It is the one thing I was hoping wouldn't happen and now it has."

Chris tested positive for COVID-19 over two weeks ago, and has been self-quarantining in the family's basement during his battle, while Cristina has taken care of him, cooked him meals and helped while trying to remain safe.

"It's very hard for a person to quarantine in a home and for other people not to get infected," said Andrew, who had spoken with his brother throughout the day about the development. "So, in some ways this was inevitable. Luckily, it was Cristina, not one of the kids."

The journalist and his wife of nearly two decades share three children -- 17-year-old daughter Bella, 14-year-old son Mario, and 11-year-old daughter Carolina.

Andrew added that, in terms of Chris and Cristina's children, "When all is said and done, I don't think this is a bad experience for them to go through."

"You want to talk about growing up a little bit and seeing reality a little bit, Bella will step up. So it's all going to be fine," Andrew added. "I know it makes a bad situation worse, but it's all going to be fine at the end."

According to Chris, one thing he's holding on hope for is that Cristina's symptoms will not be nearly as painful as his own. He said that she's actually experienced anosmia -- a sudden loss of smell -- which is a known symptom of COVID-19, but that anecdotal evidence indicates that people who experience the anosmia may not suffer from the more serious effects as frequently.

"That's more about hope than it is about, you know, anything hard in terms of fact," Chris admitted. Chris also said that, in the wake of her diagnosis, their children truly have "stepped up."

"They're helping each other. They're more quiet. They're focused on her. And hopefully it makes the family even stronger," Chris shared. "But I got to tell you, it's tough. It really makes me understand how people are dealing with so much and so much more than we are all over the place and for a long time."

For more on Cuomo's own painful battle with COVID-19, which he's detailed extensively over the past two weeks, see the video below.

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