TAIPEI (TAIWAN) – eSwatini’s ruler King Mswati III said he had contracted the novel coronavirus and made a recovery after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen sent antiviral medication.
The small nation in southern Africa is the only diplomatic ally of Taiwan in the continent and Taipei has sent large amounts of economic and other aid to eSwatini, which was earlier known as Swaziland.
The king said while the country awaited the arrival of the vaccines, there was an antiviral drug that could be used to treat the illness.
The ruler said he had tested positive “for a couple of days” in the first week of January, but was now negative.
“I am grateful to the president of the Republic of China on Taiwan for sending through this medication to treat me,” he said, citing the official name of the island in his speech posted on the Twitter handle of the government.
Tsai arranged medical assistance for the ruler upon hearing he was infected, said Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is gratified to hear of the eSwatini king’s successful recovery under the joint care of Taiwanese and eSwatini medical staff,” she said.
The ruler could have been hinting at Gilead Sciences Inc’s antiviral drug remdesivir, which was granted conditional approval in Europe in order to treat COVID-19 in adults and adolescents having pneumonia requiring oxygen support. The island also approved its use last year.