Coronavirus: Mali registers its first death

Malian Ministry of Health and Social Affairs on Saturday confirmed the country's first COVID-19 related death, reported Xinhua news agency.

However, the Malian government decided to maintain the legislative elections today (Sunday), by inviting "all voters to strict compliance with the measures to prevent and combat the coronavirus."

The deceased, with a history of diabetes and hypertension, is the first death related to COVID-19 in Mali and brings the country's total number of confirmed cases to 19.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared a state of health emergency in the country on Wednesday evening and instituted a curfew from March 26.


Dhaka/Nasim