Manu Dibango, a veteran Afro-jazz star, has died from COVID-19 in France, his family said Tuesday.
"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, further to COVID-19," his family said in a statement on Facebook.
Dibango was a Cameroonian musician and songwriter who plays the saxophone and vibraphone. He developed a unique musical style, fusing jazz, funk and traditional Cameroonian music. He was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2004.
The virus first emerged in Wuhan, China last December and has spread to at least 168 countries and territories. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a pandemic.
There are more than 382,000 confirmed cases worldwide and the death toll now tops 16,000. Over 101,000 people have recovered, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.
