African saxophone legend Manu Dibango, best known for the 1972 hit "Soul Makossa", has died on Tuesday in Paris after catching coronavirus. He was 86.
A message on his official Facebook page confirmed that he has died after contracting COVID-19.
The statement reads: "Dear family, dear friends, dear fans, A voice raises from far away… It is with deep sadness that we announce you the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, who passed away on 24th of March 2020, at 86 years old, due to covid 19."
"His funeral service will be held in strict privacy, and a tribute to his memory will be organized when possible. If you wish to express your condolences, please write to the following email: [email protected]. To Manu, Ad Lib…" the statement concluded.
The Cameroonian musician is one of the first global stars to die as a result of Covid-19.
Dibango was born in the Cameroonian city of Douala in 1933, which at the time was under French colonial rule.
The African saxophone legend musical career spanned for over six decades.
He collaborated with several notable stars such as South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo and American Herbie Hancock.
In 2009, Dibango filed a lawsuit against another music legend, Michael Jackson, claiming that MJ stole a hook from his song, Soul Makossa, for two songs on his world’s best-selling album, "Thriller". Jackson settled the case out of court.
It is worth mentioning that, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a global pandemic on March 11 as the new virus has rapidly spread to more than 121,000 people from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.
More cases of the virus, which causes respiratory disease Covid-19, continue to emerge, with outbreaks in South Korea, Italy, and Iran.
The data collected so far showed that at least 392,156 people are infected and about 17,138 people have died.
Transmission of viruses between humans happens when someone comes into contact with an infected person’s secretions, such as droplets in a cough. They can also be transmitted by coming into contact with something an infected person has touched and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
It is known that older people appear to be more vulnerable to the effects of the emerging virus.
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