Montpellier youngster Junior Sambia has been taken out of his induced coma and is now breathing on his own after suffering complications from coronavirus.

The 23-year-old was the first Ligue 1 player to test positive for the disease, despite his first test coming back negative.

Getty Images 1 Junior Sambia faces a long road to recovery, but is now in a stable condition in hospital

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Sambia’s agent, Frederic Guerra, had previously revealed that his client’s situation became so severe that he was placed into an artificial coma after switching hospitals.

“His condition is stable. It has not deteriorated, nor improved,” his agent, Frederic Guerra, told Le Parisien.

“It is tough. He really respected confinement. He did everything well. He must have contracted the virus while shopping.

“He suffered three days of severe diarrhoea – like gastroenteritis. Then, on Tuesday morning, he went to the hospital. I reached him when he was on an IV.

“He had just received the COVID-19 test result. This one was negative. He was due to leave on Wednesday, then his condition worsened with his lungs.

Give COVID-19 the red card The quicker we work together to stop coronavirus spreading, the sooner we can get back into the pubs, the gyms and stadiums and arenas to see live sport again… STAY AT HOME. Only leave for the following purposes: to shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to

– only when you really need to to do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with

– such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with for any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person

– for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person to travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary For more info and tips, visit the NHS website. The government has also issued further detail on what we can do during lockdown. Everyone should do what they can to stop coronavirus spreading.

“It grew more complicated in transit. He went back to the same hospital, then he changed hospitals twice before being placed in an artificial coma.”

However, Guerra provided a welcome update on Sambia’s condition on Saturday evening.

“He is off the ventilator, and although it’s going to be a long recovery process, he is no longer in a coma. Without doubt, that is good news,” he told RTL.

“He is breathing by himself and that is very good to hear.”

The midfielder has made 22 appearances for Montpellier this season, with a solitary strike to his name.

There have been more than 200,000 deaths worldwide from COVID-19 so far, with 22,641 lives claimed in France.

Ligue 1 are planning to resume the season on June 17 behind closed doors, but league officials will need to be granted government approval in order for this to happen.