This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
On April 21, 2020, Dr. Maurice Odhiambo Ojwang, a Kenyan national, succumbed to COVID-19 in New York, marking the sixth Kenyan death from the virus in the United States.
According to his younger brother, Ojwang Jacobo, the deceased had been battling a short illness before his passing.
"This is to confirm that my elder brother, Dr. Maurice Ojwang had passed on yesterday morning after a short illness bravely borne. To our friends and relatives who have reached out to condole with us, we heartily thank you," Dr. Ojwang's brother wrote on Facebook.
Dr. Ojwang, who was the owner of Maurice Ojwang Unique Academy in Kisumu, had resigned from the Kenya Posts and Telecommunication Corporation in March 1990 and later moved to the US for further studies.
Just a few weeks before his death, Dr. Ojwang had expressed his concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, writing on Facebook on March 27, 2020, "It's a tough Spring as we fight COVID-19, but at least Winter is over! Please stay home to keep us safe and we'll be together again later."
The US has recorded over 800,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, with 44,845 deaths.
