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Pandemonium hits Bundung amid 1st covid-19 death

Mar 26, 2020, 1:21 PM | Article By: Arfang M.S. Camara

Inhabitants of Bundung especially those around Markass Center are in a state of panic, after the death of a 70-year-old Bangladeshi, who was earlier tested positive of coronavirus before his death on Saturday.

The Bangladeshi, who came to preach in the country; was residing at the Bundung Markass Center. After his demise, people living around the Bundung Markass are left in totally fear as some locked families, while others vacate the area for other places.

The Point recently went out and about to assess and talk to people about normal life, after it emerged in the news the 70-year-old Bangladeshi, who was residing at Bundung Markass, had been tested positive of covid-19 leading to his demise.

“We don’t even believe ourselves anymore as people living around Bundung Markass. Some of us might not even know if we are contracted with the virus because they said that the symptoms start from 2-14 days,” said Abdou Colley, a resident of Bundung Markass.

Colley explained that some of the people around the area have left the place due to the fear that someone might contract the disease unknowingly.

Adama Sidibeh is another resident of Bundung Markass Center. For him, they are totally in a state of fear and panic, noting that they don’t know who are infected with the virus now.

“Most of the people around this vicinity do not know who is who anymore. Because we don’t know the people who might be infected and might not be infected with the virus,” he said.

“Two of my people left their houses to another place due to the fear they are facing right now,” he said.

Jainaba Jawara also shared similar experience, noting that she doesn’t trust herself anymore much more another person following the news of the demise of the Bangladeshi.

Jawara explained that what some of them want to do now is to go to the hospital for self quarantine.

“I advise myself and some of my friends to go to the hospital for checkup, because we all don’t trust anyone now due to what had happened around our area,” she said.

Lamin Jabbi, another resident of Bundung Markass, noted that some of them are just putting their faith in God and nothing else.

“We are all currently confused, fear and panic after the news of the death of the Bangladeshi. Some of us are just having fate in God and we hope that such disease will not claim many lives in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 70-year-old Bangladeshi arrived in The Gambia by A’ Sky Airline, with three other people on 14 March, 2020. He departed Bangladesh on 4 March and passed through Thailand, Ethiopia and Malawi, where they attended a religious confab.

He then flew back to Ethiopia on 10 March, Mali and Senegal on 11 March where he spent three days on transit at Senegal’s airport before arriving in The Gambia on the 14 March 2020.

Ministry of Health’s reactions

The Ministry of Health intends to fumigate and lockdown Bundung Markass Center, as Gambia’s second case of Covid-19 was identified from the said premises.

According to Modou Njai, director of Health Promotion and Education, three nurses, a doctor and orderly from Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital who met the patient (the Bangladeshi man) are on quarantine, adding that samples would be collected from all high risk contacts.