COVID-19: Madagascar confirms first death 2 months after recording index case

The government of Madagascar has confirmed its first death arising from the novel COVID-19 disease two months after the deadly virus was first detected in the country, according to an official announcement made on television.

The case was identified as a 57-year-old hospital worker, who died on Saturday, while suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, Reuters news agency reports quoting the statement.

The president of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, has been touting a clinically untested herbal tonic as a treatment for Covid-19, which has been taken up by several African countries.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the closure of the country’s land borders with Tanzania and Somalia except for cargo transport.

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The order came into effect at midnight local time on Saturday.

Testing for the COVID-19 at border posts will be compulsory for all drivers.

President Kenyatta said 78 truck drivers had tested positive in the last week and had been denied permission to enter the country.

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