#Headlines

Covid-19 soars as Gambia records 498 cases

Aug 3, 2020, 2:58 PM | Article By: Arfang M.S. Camara

The recent surge in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the past few days has dominated local news, as the country on Friday reported another 95 new confirmed cases.

According to daily updates on the pandemic, The Gambia now has a total of 498 confirmed cases of covid-19 with nine deaths.

These new cases are the highest number of new reported cases thus far in the country.

“434 laboratory test results have been received from MRCG and NPHL. Of these, 333 tested negative (both new and repeats), 95 newly returned positive and 6 newly tested inconclusive or probable for covid-19,” said the ministry.

The health ministry maintained that a significant proportion of these resulted from mass institutional tests conducted on staff of MRC and Sharab Medical Centre, revealing that only a soupcon of the cases was imported – the bulk of the cases was through local transmissions.

The ministry further indicated that, while 48 high-risk contacts were traced and isolated, daily follow-ups began for 39 low-risk contacts traced, whereas 11 persons were newly taken into quarantine and 20 were discharged.

One covid-19 patient, out of the 32 active cases being managed at MRC’s (Fajara) isolated center, has absconded, health officials stated.

However, there are no new recoveries recorded. Currently, The country has 529 people in quarantine, 414 active cases, 43 probable cases and a crude cases-fatality ratio of 1.8%.