Gabon records first coronavirus death, Africa death toll at 20

Gabon has recorded its first coronavirus related death. The patient, a 50-year-old citizen, had recently been in France & died “from complications arising from diabetes & acute respiratory distress syndrome,” Gabon’s Health Minister is quoted to have said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bilie-By-Nze, also posted the news on his Twitter handle.“Sad day that this March 20, 2020, (we recorded) the 1st death of a COVID-19 patient.

“A minimum level of discipline and effort will be to follow the instructions of the government and health professionals. Let’s change our habits to save lives,” a translation of his tweet read.

The death is the second in sub-Saharan Africa after a top Burkina Faso lawmaker succumbed to the virus earlier this week. Another patient has died in Sudan. The overall African death toll now stands at 20.

The Central African country has so far recorded three cases of the coronavirus. The minister in subsequent tweets tasked the populace to observe all necessary preventive measures in order to save lives.

Gabon like most African government has imposed preventive measures meant to help contain the spread of the virus. The Gabonese government has been providing critical medical supplies to medical centers.

The death toll on the continent is now at 20. Seven apiece in Egypt and Algeria, two in Morocco and one in Gabon, Sudan, Tunisia and Burkina Faso. The WHO live portal on COVID-19 stats says as at March 20, 69 patients have recovered.