Mariama Jallow
The case remains, no Gambian has so far manifested signs of coronavirus infection, but the World Health Organisation’s Country Representative in The Gambia said the general public should be very careful and avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
People should practice frequent hand washing especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment, and to avoid unprotected contact with farm or wild animals, Dr. Desta A. Tiruneh told a media briefing on Tuesday at the WHO office in Kotu.
He said people with symptoms of acute respiratory infections should practice cough etiquettes by maintaining distance, cover coughs and sneezes with tissue or clothing, and wash hands.
Dr. Tiruneh said in case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, travelers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their health care provider.
The WHO country director described coronavirus as large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from common cold to more severe diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
He said this novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans but human-to-human transmission has been confirmed.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmadu Lamin Samateh, said they have established a National Health Emergency Committee on the coronavirus to monitor, investigate and tackle any suspected cases.
He said the screening of travellers arriving at the international ports of entry, and isolation health facilities have been designated for investigation and treatment of suspected cases.
The common signs of the coronavirus infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, coughs, pneumonia, kidney failure and even death, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
