Tanzanian national, Emmanuel Harrison Ngowi has died of Covid-19 complications at a government facility in the city of Vadodara while undergoing treatment, reports The Indian Express.

Emanuel Harrison Ngowi, 34, had joined the PhD course for business economics at Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Vadodara on March 27, and tested positive for Covid-19 on April 21. He experienced a sudden drop in oxygen levels and died on Monday, officials said.

According to Prof Dhanesh Patel, the director of international affairs at MS University, around 40 foreign national students underwent a Covid-19 test recently and three tested positive — one from Gambia and two from Tanzania.

Patel told The Indian Express, “The student had arrived in India on March 27. He complained of some symptoms on April 21 but his Rapid Antigen Test came back negative. We then went for an RT-PCR test, which was positive.

“He was taken to SSG Hospital for treatment but since his SpO2 level was good, he was shifted to the Yagnapurush Complex at Atladara, which is an extension of the government hospitals.

On April 26 morning, his oxygen level dropped all of a sudden and he was rushed to Gotri hospital, where he was put on BiPAP and ventilatory support since the oxygen level was not stabilizing. He passed away on April 26 night.”

Patel said although the family had initially given consent to bury the body in India, Harrison’s sister later wrote to the Embassy of Tanzania in India to help bring his body back to his home country.

“We have been in touch with the family and we are carrying out all the procedures to be able to send the body back to Tanzania. We have obtained the police certificates and other necessary documents and the embassy will make arrangements to take the body back to his family,” Patel said.

Patel said the two other African students, who were in contact with Harrison and tested positive, are “stable and recovering well”.