A 57-year-old man has become the first patient to die of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Madagascar.
The man died on Saturday in Toamasina, a port city on the east coast of Madagascar.
This comes despite the Indian Ocean nation’s claim to the “COVID Organic”, its herbal medicine that has been touted as a miracle drug for the deadly virus.
Spokesperson for the coronavirus operational command centre in the country, Hanta Vololontiana, confirmed the death, adding that two more patients were in intensive care after contracting the virus.
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Reports say since its index case was reported on March 19, the East African nation has continued to record more cases, including 21 on Sunday alone.
The country has so far recorded 304 total confirmed cases.
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This comes amid claims by the country’s President Andry Rajoelina that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was attempting to poison its homegrown COVID-19 cure.
He claimed WHO offered a bribe of $20 million for its herbal medicine to be poisoned.
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