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The Madagascar anti-coronavirus task team has announced the first coronavirus related death in the country.
The 57-year-old hospital worker died on Saturday and had underlying diabetes and high blood pressure before he was infected. He was a car park attendant at a hospital in the eastern city of Toamasina.
The Indian Ocean island which has reported 304 cases have been in the headlines over a home-grown herbal concoction. The president of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina claims the concoction can cure people infected with the virus.
Several African countries have received shipment of 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.
Related: Madagascar Popular Coronavirus Herbal cure
The World Health Organization has however warned against “adopting a product that has not been tested to see its efficacy”.
Meanwhile, another island nation, Seychelles, has attained virus-free status after the Health Ministry announced full recoveries on Monday May 18. The country becomes the third in recent times to achieve the feat behind Mauritius and Eritrea.
The country’s case tally stood at 11 confirmed cases all of whom have been successfully treated and discharged. 74 others remain in quarantine. The same was the case with Eritrea where all 39 patients fully recovered. They have in turn rolled out random extensive testing starting in the capital Asmara and border towns as well as for frontline health workers.
Over in Mauritius, out of the 332 cases, 10 deaths were recorded whiles the remaining 322 all recovered as of May 11.
Meanwhile cases of coronavirus continue to rise across Africa as governments continue to roll out measures to contain spread.
Wide-ranging lockdowns are being eased as governments look to restart economic activities. Most borders, however, remain closed and social distancing regulations are strongly enforced.
