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Madagascar on Sunday announced the first death of a patient suffering from the novel coronavirus, nearly two months after it was first detected in the country.
The 57-year-old hospital worker died on Saturday and had underlying diabetes and high blood pressure before he was infected, an official from the anti-coronavirus task team said.
“It is with great sadness that we have to share with all our compatriots, that there is an individual, aged 57, who died from Covid-19,” professor Hanta Vololontiana said on public television.
He was a car park attendant at a hospital in the eastern city of Toamasina.
The Indian Ocean island which has reported 304 cases has hit the headlines over a home-grown herbal concoction that President Andry Rajoelina claims can cure people infected with the virus.
Exclusive: Madagascar’s president defends controversial homegrown Covid-19 cure
Several African countries have ordered or expressed interest in the purported remedy, which is known as Covid-Organics.
The tonic drink is derived from artemisia — a plant with proven efficacy in malaria treatment — and other indigenous herbs.
But the World Health Organization has warned against “adopting a product that has not been taken through tests to see its efficacy”.
(AFP)
Source: France 24