Madagascar: Andry Rajoelina urges citizens to drink 'COVID Organics' for COVID-29 prevention

The president of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina has urged his citizens to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus by drinking 'COVID Organics' (CVO), an organic herbal beverage which is claimed to be the cure of the virus.

Andry Rajoelina said in a speech on Sunday night, "Let's drink this herbal tea to protect ourselves, to protect our family and our neighbors and there will be no more deaths."

His remarks came a few hours after the country announces its first coronavirus death of a 57-year-old man who also had diabetes.

Rajoelina said none of the new cases in the country had drunk 'COVID Organics', which he said was distributed free of charge in the three regions affected by the pandemic.

Madagascar has confirmed 304 coronavirus cases, with one death and 114 recoveries, according to data compiled by the US-based John Hopkins University.

Earlier this month, Andry Rajoelina has said that his government was collaborating with foreign doctors and scientists to study alternative research possibilities, though carrying on with trials of the Artemisia plant, the main component of 'COVID Organics'.

So far, Madagascar has sent CVO to several African countries including Comoros Island, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Niger, Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, and Chad.

The global death toll from the novel coronavirus has exceeded 315,000, with more than 4.7 million confirmed cases and recoveries have surpassed 1.7 million, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University.