COVID-19

Over in Central Africa, coronavirus claimed a music star from Congo reputed by his fans as ‘King of soukous’ –high-tempo dance music enjoyed across the continent. Aurlus Mabélé real name is Aurélien Miatsonama, was from Congo-Brazzaville and moved to France in the 1980s. He died in a Parisian hospital, aged 67. The announcement of his death according to Congolese local news site IciBrazza was first posted by his compatriot Mav Cacharel on Facebook. “Good evening everyone, I have sad news to announce the death of my famous friend, brother, and collaborator Aurlus Mabélé, which happened this Thursday, March 19, 2020, at 14 pm, in the Paris region, from the follow-up of (a) coronavirus (case),” Cacharel’s post read in part. The deceased’s daughter, singer Liza Monet, also tweeted on Thursday that her father had died of coronavirus. “Thank you for honoring his memory. It is a great legend of the Soukouss that the Congolese people have lost today. I am inconsolable and collapsed,” a translation of her tweet read.