More Cases Of Coronavirus Discovered In The Gambia
Since the diagnosis of the first case of Coronavirus in The Gambia, on March 17th, 2020, nine suspected cases have undergone testing and one has tested positive on March 20nd, 2020. This is the second confirmed case in the Gambia. This case is of a seventy-year-old Bangladeshi man who came to The Gambia from Senegal on March 13th, 2020, as a preacher. He was resident in Bundung were he engaged in preaching and interacted with several people. He was in six other countries where he was carrying out similar preaching. He was a non-diabetic who presented at a health facility in Diabetic ketoacidosis. He was later referred to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, but he, unfortunately, passed away in the ambulance before arrival at the hospital on March 20nd, 2020. A sample was taken from him and he tested positive for Coronavirus.
Active contact tracing is ongoing, and all people who interacted with this individual are urged to call the toll-free number, 1025, for further advice. The Foreign Ministry has been informed and the message will be extended to the other countries for contact tracing. The general public is requested to strongly adhere to the advice and press release of the Gambian government.
The Ministry of Health also wishes to inform the general public that there are a hundred and twenty-four people on quarantine at various locations. Seventeen absconded from the quarantine centers, thereby posing a great risk to their families and the general public. These individuals are instructed to report back to the quarantine sites immediately. Failure to do so will lead to enforcement of the law which may include arresting them.
By Oumie Jatta
