By Ndey Sowe
On Sunday 29th of March, two Senegalese fishermen, who claimed to be running away from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in their country, were intercepted at sea by security personnel.
This was revealed yesterday at a regular press briefing on the current situation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Gambia, convened by officers at the Ministry of Health in Banjul.
Mustapha Bittaye, Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health said the two men intercepted are put on quarantine, and there are now two hundred and forty-seven people on quarantine.
“We have not received any laboratory test results from the laboratory”, he said, adding there are 12 samples waiting testing since the last update (29th March).
He explained that twenty-eight additional contacts have been admitted into quarantine and the first set of people to have completed their 14-days mandatory quarantine would be moved out of quarantine facilities today (31st March), and they are five in number.
He added that a gentleman who recently arrived in the country from France and was since evading quarantine has been found through the 1025 Hotline and put in mandatory quarantine.
“while we await pending test results from laboratory, the public is advised to remain vigilant and continue reporting any suspected COVID-19 cases through our toll-free lines on 1025”, he said.
He said his ministry appeals to the general public to remain calm and follow the preventative measures at all times and abide by the executive directives issued by the President, Adama Barrow.
“With concerted efforts and unity of purpose, we will surely contain COVID-19 in the Gambia”, he said.
