By Ndey Sowe
A European Union (EU) citizen entering the Gambia through one of the land borders was intercepted and put under mandatory quarantine.
Mustapha Bittaye, Acting Director of Health Services told journalists this on Saturday, 4th April 2020 at a regular press briefing on the current situation of the Covid-19 in the Gambia, held at the Central Medical Store in Kotu.
He said that there are now thirty-six people under quarantine.
He explained that 5 laboratory results have been received from the laboratory and they were all negative, bringing the total number of laboratory tests done to one hundred and thirty-four.
He said: “One hundred and two individuals completed their mandatory 14-days quarantine and have been discharged.”
He said that a total of two hundred and thirty- three contacts have been traced.
He added that since the beginning of the pandemic, the country reported four (4) confirmed cases, two of whom recovered, one passed away and one is still undergoing treatment.
He told the press that the number of confirmed cases still remains at four.
“Our only neighbour Senegal has recorded one hundred and ninety-five cases”, he added this is the 7th highest in Africa and it is now recorded in 45 countries in Africa, as of 3rd April 2020
He said that Africa has recorded a total of five thousand six hundred and thirty-two confirmed cases and one hundred and sixty-four deaths.
Meanwhile he also explained that globally a total of nine hundred and seventy-two thousand three hundred and three 972,303) cases of Covid-19 have been reported, of these fifty-thousand and three hundred and twenty-one (50,321) deaths were registered thus having a fatality rate of 5%.
“Every one of us has a role to play in combating this war, every Gambian or resident of the Gambia family and business can make the difference in stopping the virus”, he appealed.
He therefore urged Gambians to play their part by reporting any suspected cases to the toll-free line on 1025.
“We will at our end continue to engage media platforms in the dissemination of sensitization materials and creatable information”, he assured, adding that it is a personal duty to obtain information from creatable sources such as the Ministry of Health and WHO websites.
He said the more we commit or selves to this fight, the better for everyone and appealed to everyone to take hard measures in order to prevent the decease than trying to catch up with a deadly decease.
“The lack of new cases should not make us relent in this fight”, he warned.
He applauded their partners and personnel of the Ministry of Health who have been working day and night to ensure that there is adequate response to the global pandemic and call on them to continue the good job.
