Madagascar COVID-19: caseload hits 10,000 mark

July 29: cases hit 10,000 mark

Virus caseload in Madagascar has passed the 10,000 mark as of today according to John Hopkins University tallies. Recoveries have also risen markedly to 6,613 with 93 deaths.

The country becomes the second most impacted in the southern Africa region behind South Africa – the continent’s runaway leader with over 450,000 cases.

President Rajoelina meanwhile continues his frontline role in leading the fight against the pandemic across the island nation. On Tuesday, he launched a new mobile digital radiology equipment, which he said will help the Tanambao hospital to improve patient care.

“We are strengthening our ability to fight against the virus by equipping health centers and hospitals with suitable equipment,” Rajoelina said at an event to deliver supplies to a hospital on Monday.

He has also recently inaugurated a virus treatment center in Mahamasina which can accommodate 250 patients with severe forms. “In these difficult times, I call on the nation to show unity and solidarity to fight against the pandemic,” he stressed.

• Confirmed cases = 10,104
• Active cases = 3,398
• Recoveries = 6,613
• Number of deaths = 93

John Hopkins Uni stats valid as of July 29, 2020> Ce dimanche, j’ai visité le CHU Mahavoky à Mahajanga. 10 concentrateurs d’oxygène, des médicaments et des EPI ont été remis au personnel soignant en première ligne dans cette lutte. Ils percevront également une prime mensuelle touchée hier & venant soutenir leur total dévouement. pic.twitter.com/wB24BBrIfG

— Andry Rajoelina (@SE_Rajoelina) July 27, 2020

July 21: public hospitals full amid surge in cases

Public hospitals in Madagascar are only admitting virus patients with severe symptoms. This comes as cases surge in the southern African island nation.

The Bloomberg news portal reports that five public hospitals in the capital Antananarivo had announced that they could no longer cope with influx of patients.

The region where the capital is located was placed on lockdown by president Rajoelina when a spike in new cases was recorded. That measure extends till the coming weekend (July 26) when further directions are expected.

A spokesperson for the Malagasy COVID-19 Command Center, Hanta Marie Danielle Vololontiana is on record to have said persons who die from the virus at home will not be added to official statistics.

The government has continued with massive medical investments to help combat the virus. Rajoelina announced that 1000 ventilators were to be donated to hospitals and health centers as well as PPEs for frontline workers.

A COVID-19 Processing Center – CTC was also launched at Ivato. “It will provide appropriate care for people with severe symptoms of COVID-19, such as respiratory distress. 55 agents are assigned to it for a capacity of 400 patients,” president disclosed in a July 10 tweet.

The country became popular in the wake of Rajoelina’s insistence months back that a locally produced remedy – COVID-Organics or Tambavy CVO – could cure and also prevent the virus.
At the time the WHO warned of untested remedies but it did not stop about a dozen African countries from importing the purported cure.

Most countries that received consignments said they will run tests in their national laboratories to ascertain efficacy. Nigeria’s health minister is on record to have said it was good for malaria treatment whiles recently, Congo republic also suspended its use over limited efficacy for treating COVID-19.

• Confirmed cases = 7,153
• Active cases = 3,303
• Recoveries = 3,788
• Number of deaths = 62

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COVID-Organics at a glance

• Rajoelina says it was developed by Malasy Institute of Applied Research.
• Says it is of two type, the curative and preventive
• It is made from Artemisia – an anti-malarial plant that grows on the island
• Another name for it is Tambavy CVO
• The WHO – global and Africa offices have cautioned against it and other unproven herbal drugs
• It is freely distributed in schools and in other public places
• A number of African countries officially requested for them, among others Tanzania, Congo, DRC, Chad, Comoros
• Madagascar made a donation to West African nations in the ECOWAS bloc. But the ECOWAS Commission clarified it hadn’t ordered for or endorsed the potion.
• Africa Centers for Disease Control is in talks with Madagascar over the potion
• According to Rajoelina, the country will sign a confidentiality clause with WHO on the formulation of the drug.
• A number of Africa countries are subjecting the donation to tests before administering if at all.

July 13: Two lawmakers succumb, 25 others infected

Two lawmakers in Madagascar have died after contracting COVID-19, over twenty others are also receiving treatment for the virus, president Andry Rajoelina announced on Sunday.

The deceased comprise one Senator and a member of the lower chamber. 11 other members and 14 senators also tested positive.

The news comes as government reimposed lockdown on a major region under which the capital Antananarivo falls. The reason was to better contain surge in cases.

A week ago, the presidency issued a statement dispelling social media reports that Rajoelina had contracted the virus. The country’s caseload is one of the highest in the southern African region, it is also the most impacted island nation on the continent.

• Confirmed cases = 4,867
• Active cases = 2,454
• Recoveries = 2,378
• Number of deaths = 35

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July 7: Rajoelina hasn’t tested positive – Presidency

The Malagasy presidency had reason to issue an official statement denying social media reports that President Rajoelina had tested positive for the COVID-19.

The July 7 statement (in French) said the president was occupied with leading the country’s fight against the virus and was exercising full control over the governance machinery.

Spike in cases especially in the capital Antananarivo has precipitated the reinstatement of a lockdown to control spread of the virus.

Press release denying rumors about the state of health of the President of the Republic (Translation)

The Presidency of the Republic formally denies rumors about the state of health of the President of the Republic, Andry Rajoelina, relayed by social networks and or published on websites.

President Andry Rajoelina is in good health and is not affected by covid-19 at all. He has never left Malagasy territory since the start of the health crisis to date.

He faces with all the Malagasy people, the global health crisis which affects our country today and he continues to find, with all the specialists and all the State entities, suitable solutions in the management of this pandemic.

He directs the councils of ministers and several meetings by videoconference to respect the health rules required to prevent the spread of this covid 19 virus.

• Confirmed cases = 3,573
• Active cases = 1,779
• Recoveries = 1,761
• Number of deaths = 33

John Hopkins Uni stats valid as of July 9, 2020 Major African stats: July 9 at 7:00 GMT:

• Confirmed cases = 522,643
• Active cases = 257,466
• Recoveries = 252,944
• Number of deaths = 12,233

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June 18: Madagascar to produce COVID-Organics capsules

Madagascar is in the process of equipping its health facilities in order to produce most medicines it currently imports, president Rajoelina announced on Thursday.

The president was reacting to the receipt of state-of-the-art equipment to equip the new pharmaceutical plant “Pharmalagasy.” The consignment was delivered by the Pharma Wing section of Ethiopian Airlines.

“Thanks to the work of Malagasy researchers and foreign scientists, Pharmalagasy will launch CVO+, a curative and preventive capsule against Covid-19 made from artemisia,” Rajoelina added stressing that the move was part of Madagascar positioning “itself on the global pharmaceutical market.”

COVID-Organics has now transited from the usual liquid form, even as government backtracked on administering it via injectables. The capsules are the new form that the president is announcing.

Meanwhile, the WHO and Africa Centers for Disease Control, Africa CDC, have yet to release any findings or developments from their interactions with Malagasy authorities over the purported virus cure.

The country has also announced a partnership with a Bionexx, a company specialized in the culture of artemisia, a move that will make Madagascar the first African producer of medicines based on the medicinal plant, Rajoelina added.

L’État Malagasy lance un partenariat avec l’entreprise Bionexx, spécialisée dans la culture de l’#Artemisia afin de faire de #Madagascar le premier producteur africain de médicaments à base de cette plante aux grandes vertus médicinales ! pic.twitter.com/NjC4lel6Px

— Andry Rajoelina (@SE_Rajoelina) June 18, 2020

• Confirmed cases = 1,403
• Number of deaths = 13
• Recoveries = 463
• Active cases = 927

John Hopkins Uni stats valid as of June 18, 2020

June 10: Chad takes more deliveries of COVID-Organics

Last week, the Republic of Chad sent a jet to Madagascar for another round of COVID-Organics. President Rajoelina said the second donation was because of the positive effects the first achieved in the Central African country.

20,000 doses of the curative and preventive types of the herbal mixture was subsequently carted off by a delegation sent by the Chadian government.

Chad remains one of the least impacted countries in the Central African region. According to the John Hopkins University tallies, it has 850 confirmed cases with 73 deaths and 720 recoveries. 57 active cases remain under treatment as of today, June 16, 2020 at 07:00 GMT.

Madagascar’s statistics include: 1,290 confirmed cases, 10 deaths, 384 recoveries and 896 active cases as of today.

Suite aux effets positifs constatés sur sa population, le #Tchad a demandé à recevoir pour la seconde fois du #CovidOrganics pour lutter contre le #Covid19. Ainsi, 20000 doses curatives et préventives ont été transmises aux émissaires du Président IdrissDebyI ce jour. pic.twitter.com/OizKyUdtJN

— Andry Rajoelina (SE_Rajoelina) June 10, 2020

June 4: Minister sacked over sweets plan for bitter COVID-Organics

A Malagasy Minister was fired over plans to buy sweets for children taking COVID-Organics in schools.

Education minister Rijasoa Andriamanana planned to order $2.2m worth of sweets. Hoping to ease bitterness that the purported virus cure gave patrons, AFP news agency reported.

She had shelved the plan even before being fired. President Rajoelina – chief patron of COVID-Organics – had rejected the idea. Each student in the country was expected to get three sweets, AFP added.

The Thursday statement confirming her sacking, her counterpart in the higher education ministry, Elia Béatrice Assoumacou, was asked to double as education minister in acting capacity.

Total confirmed cases = 1,026
Total recoveries = 212
Total deaths = 8
Active cases = 806

Figures valid as of close of day June 6, 2020

May 29: Retreat on COVID-Organics injectables

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina’s position that the purported remedy for COVID-19 will be administered in clinical trials has been clarified by director of the country’s judicial studies department.

Rajoelina this week reiterated a clinical trial plan he announced last week saying the trial will involve administering the in its bottled form and also as injectables.

However, Michelle Sahondrarimalala, a medical doctor and director from Legal Studies at the presidency, in clarification said the president had been misunderstood.

She disclosed that there had at no point been the thought of putting artemisia in an injectable form further stressing that the scientific committee hadn’t considered this.

Reports indicate that the National Medical Academy also cast doubt on the efficacy of the artemisia-based drink, warning of its potential health implications. Doctors are on record to have said the main treatment protocol in the country was not COVID-Organics.

Total confirmed cases = 656
Total recoveries = 154
Total deaths = 2
Active cases = 500

Figures valid as of close of day May 28, 2020

May 21: Rajoelina speaks with Tedros

President Andry Rajoelina says Madagascar will sign a confidentiality clause with the World Health Organization on the formulation of COVID-Organics, the purported cure for the coronavirus pandemic.

He disclosed this after a teleconference with WHO boss Tedros Adhanom Ghabreyesus on Wednesday. He also said the WHO had agreed to support the country’s clinical observation process.

“Successful exchange with Dr. Tedros who commends Madagascar’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19,” he posted on Twitter.

Confirming the call, the WHO boss tweeted: “Good call with HE Rajoelina, President of Madagascar, about the #COVID19 situation in his country.

“We discussed how to work together on therapeutics research and development. And we agreed that solidarity is key to fighting the pandemic and keeping the world safe,” he added.

Madagascar case stats as of May 21 12:00 GMT

Confirmed cases = 371
Recoveries = 131
Deaths = 2
Active cases = 238

Successful exchange with DrTedros who commends #Madagascar’s efforts in the fight against #Covid19.WHO will sign a confidentiality clause on the formulation of the #CovidOrganics and will support the clinical observations process in #Africa. pic.twitter.com/SCZZRDKheV

— Andry Rajoelina (@SE_Rajoelina) May 20, 2020

May 11: Madagascar prez dismisses ‘all critics’: would they doubt European cure?

President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina has delivered a scathing verdict of persons increasingly speaking against the country’s purported traditional cure for COVID-19.

In an exclusive interview with French broadcasters, France24 and RFI, Rajoelina said his country will continue to administer and develop the cure which according to him accounts for majority of its virus recoveries.

“We have 171 cases, including 105 cured. The patients who were cured took only the COVID-Organics medication,” he confirmed.

Asked about warnings issued by WHO, ECOWAS and Africa CDC, he dismissed them stressing that the warnings are meant to detract and discourage progress of the drug, which Madagascar was not going to allow.

“If it weren’t Madagascar, but a European country that had discovered the remedy COVID-Organics, would there be so many doubts? I do not think so…”

“We say bad things about the Tambavy CVO product, when it only does good. They want to slow us down, discourage us, forbid us to move forward …” he further stressed.

#EXCLUSIF – #Coronavirus : “On a eu 171 cas, dont 105 guéris. Les patients qui ont été guéris ont pris uniquement le produit #COVID_Organics.”

Le président de #Madagascar ?? Andry #Rajoelina parle du remède développé sur l‘île et répond à MPerelman et ChBoisbouvier de RFI ⤵ pic.twitter.com/GfKaAvTeXv

— FRANCE 24 Français (France24_fr) May 11, 2020