By Ndey Sowe
Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, Minister of Health on Friday said currently, there are two hundred and fifteen people on quarantine in various hotels in the country and they are all safe and in good condition.
He added one hundred and twenty-three contacts were traced and a total of fifty-seven test were conducted of which three tested positive and fifty- three test been negative and one inconclusive test result which is being exported for confirmation.
He added the three hundred and ten people that completed follow up were the asymptomatic people with traveled history to affected areas.
This information was disclosed on Friday, 27th March at a regular press briefing on the current situation of the COVID-19 in the Gambia. The briefing was held at the Ministry of Health in Banjul. This also came barely days after the ministry announced that 133 people are on quarantine.
“we will like to appeal to the general public for their continued support and collaboration in the successful implementation of the COVID-19 surveillance including contact tracing rapid response and risk communication to strengthen community based surveillance at all levels”, he said.
He thanked all the health professionals and security personnel for their hard work and sacrifice for the people of the Gambia.
“We wish to tell the people of this country that COVID-19 is a reality, we should not be complacent, we should protect ourselves, our families and the entire country”, he advised, adding that the ministry is working closely with partners to strengthen the COVID-19 response efforts.
He warned that COVID-19 is in the Gambia and with certain measures advised by the health professionals with the help of God, ‘we will be protected’. He also urged the entire nation to take those measures seriously and to make sure that the message is sent across to everyone.
He applauded partners, government departments, the private sector, municipal and area councils and communities for the support and collaboration in the fight against COVID-19, saying ‘together we can fight COVID-19’.
