The
National Assembly has announced it’s suspending all sittings as the country
announced the confirmation of the first covid-19 (coronavirus) case on Tuesday.
Speaker
Mariam Jack Denton told the legislators on Wednesday that the first
extraordinary session of 2020 Legislative Year has been suspended for the
further notice.
Her
message came in the wake of President Adama Barrow’s announcement that all
public gatherings are banned for a period of 21 days.
Health
Minister Ahmadou Lamin Samateh has confirmed that the country’s first covid-19
case after a Gambian arriving from the United Kingdom was tested positive for
the virus.
“All
schools, including universities, madrassas and daras or majlis will be closed
from Wednesday, 18th March 2020 for 21 days,” Mr. Barrow said in televised
address to the nation of Tuesday.
“Furthermore, all other public gatherings in
whatever form, including lumos (open markets) and Gamos are immediately
suspended for three weeks.
The
suspension period will be subject to review as we get updates from the
experts.”