Life in The Gambia appears to be going on as normal despite serious fears about the deadly coronavirus disease which has so far spared the country.
While other countries are scrambling for the right responses to the global epidemic, by closing down schools, places of worship and other events likely to draw huge crowds, the government in Banjul has not yet resorted to these measures in a bid to hold COVID-19 at bay.
Gambia’s closest neighbour, Senegal which has some 24 confirmed cases of the virus as of Monday, announced it was no longer taking chances with the disease, shutting down schools, and cancelling religious events which may serve as a catalyst for infections.
Gambia is one of a handful of countries in West Africa not reporting any confirmed case.
Other nations in the region seemingly free of COVID-19 include Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau and Mali.
In The Gambia, the education system is still in full swing with schools open, although aviation sources told the African Press Agency that flights from COVID-affected countries will be banned indefinitely beginning on Tuesday.
President Adama Barrow will later on Tuesday address the nation over the global epidemic which has so far killed over 5000 people since it was first noticed in the Chinese province of Wuhan last December.
Meanwhile Gambia’s Health minister Ahmadou Samateh on Monday warned that although there is no confirmed case of the disease locally, there is every likelihood that it could reach the country thanks to its proximity with Senegal.
Mr Samateh told journalists that the country is pulling out all the stops including border monitoring, contact tracing and hygiene regulations for the population to prevent the epidemic reaching The Gambia.
“We are all susceptible to the disease and thus the likelihood that The Gambia will be affected remains high” he said.
The disease is present in at least 131 countries with just over 200, 000 confirmed cases.
According to him as of Sunday, a total of 355 people of interest have been put under self-quarantine and that 149 of them have completed followups without showing any symptom of the disease.
“106 at currently under surveillance and none has shown symptoms so far” he added.
He said on the scene laboratory tests were conducted but none proved positive for the virus.
WN/as/APA