Ambrose Dlamini: Eswatini's prime minister dies month after testing positive for COVID-19

- Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in South Africa

- About a month ago, Dlamini tested positive for COVID-19 and it was not clear whether or not he had recovered by the time of his death

- As of Sunday, Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, had recorded 6,768 cases of COVID-19 which included 127 deaths and 6,379 recoveries

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Eswatini prime minister Ambrose Dlamini has died aged 52, the government of the Kingdom of Eswatini has announced.

Eswatini is formally and still commonly known in English as Swaziland.

Dlamini died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in South Africa on the afternoon of Sunday, December 13.

" I inform the nation of the untimely death the prime minister Ambrose Dlamini. He passed on this afternoon in a hospital in South Africa. Government and family will inform you of the subsequent arrangement," read a statement by deputy prime minister Themba Masuku.

We understand Dlamini's death came about four weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19.

As of Sunday, Eswatini had recorded 6,768 cases of COVID-19 which included 127 deaths and 6,379 recoveries.

According to the country's Ministry of Health, infections were rising with the hardest hit being males with underlying medical conditions.

"We, therefore, urge the public (especially males) to ensure that they do medical check-ups regularly, at least once a year, and those diagnosed with a chronic disease should adhere to treatment as advised by health workers," said Health Minister Lizzie Nkosi.

In Kenya, the number of infections had risen to 91,892 out of which 73,028 had recovered while 1,587 had died.

Globally, as of Monday, December 14, at least 1,614,337 people had died of the disease with the hardest-hit country being the US where the death toll had risen past 306,000 followed by India with 143,393 deaths.

The US on Friday joined countries like UK and Canada as one of the nations where the Pfizer vaccine had been given emergency use authorisation.

Vaccination is expected to kick off anytime from today. This was after the CDC late on Sunday gave a green light to the dose.

Pfizer vaccine has about 95% efficacy in preventing the deadly disease. The distribution of vials is underway.

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Source: YEN.com.gh