Legendary Cameroonian Musician, Manu Dibango, Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Legendary Cameroonian musician, Manu Dibango, is in recovery after testing positive for the coronavirus in France. The news was shared via the artist's Facebook page on Wednesday.

"After a recent hospital [stay] due to the Covid-19, Manu Dibango is resting and recovering in serenity," read the post. "He asks you to respect his privacy. He looks forward to seeing you soon and asks you, in this troubled time that we all go through, to take good care of you." There has been an outpouring of well-wishes from his fans and supporters in the comments section since the news surfaced.

The 86-year-old saxophonist is considered one of the foremost pioneers of Afro-jazz, known for his fusion of funk with traditional Cameroonian sounds.

His iconic1972 B-side "Soul Makossa" was a global hit, which both Michael Jackson and Rihanna famously referenced in their hit songs "Wanna Be Startin Somethin," and "Please Don't Stop the Music," respectively—reportedly without Dibango's permission. He later settled a lawsuit with the artists over their use of the track's hook.

He isn't the first African celebrity to share a positive coronavirus diagnosis. Star actor Idris Elba announced on Monday that he had also tested positive for the virus. Such news has helped disprove a popular myth that Black people were immune to the disease.

There are currently over 400 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Africa. The Sub-Saharan region, documented its first official death on Wednesday after Burkina Faso's Vice President of Parliament Rose Marie Compaore succumbed to the disease.