Mauritius confirms first COVID-19 death

Mauritius has confirmed its first death related to COVID-19, the country's health minister Kailesh Jagutpal said Saturday.

According to the minister, the patient was a male with Mauritian-Belgian citizenship, who returned to Mauritius from Belgium on February 21. On March 14, the patient visited a local private clinic due to a fever and cough, and was later transferred to a local public hospital.

Jagutpal said the patient tested negative for COVID-19 on March 17, adding that he was tested again the next day and died that night.

The minister added that the health ministry received the result of the second test on Saturday, which was positive.