Tests on Senegalese pilgrims returning from Mecca has revealed a 63 percent spike in coronavirus cases, according to the Epidemiological Surveillance and Training Institute for Health Research (IRESSEF).
These are the Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) carried out at the Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) for COVID-19 among Senegalese pilgrims returning from Mecca. This high figure could be explained by recent infections contracted by Senegalese pilgrims just before they left Mecca, IRESSEF said in a press release to APA on Monday.
To confirm these results, the research institute said it had set up a secure system for sending samples to its facilities near the airport. RT-PCR tests, the preferred reference method, showed a Covid positive rate of 29 percent.
These figures indicate that about half of the pilgrims tested positive by RDT are in an active phase of viral replication, making them highly contagious. This situation highlights the urgent need for appropriate control and isolation measures, IRESSEF warned.
In addition to the COVID-19 cases, detailed analyses have revealed co-infections. Two patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were also found to be carrying the H1N1 influenza virus, illustrating the complexity of the current health challenge.
The high rates of Covid cases observed underscore the critical importance of maintaining rigorous medical surveillance, not only at airports, but also at Senegal’s land and sea entry points.
This proactive approach is essential to effectively control the spread of emerging and re-emerging diseases and thereby protect public health at the national level.
PR/ac/lb/as/APA