Gambia: COVID-19 state of emergency extended until September 17 /update 7

Event

President Adama Barrow announced on Thursday, August 27, that the country's state of emergency due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been extended by 21 days until September 17. Restrictive measures under the state of emergency, including a ban on public gatherings, a 22:00 to 05:00 (local time) curfew, the compulsory use of face masks in public places, and the closure of schools and non-essential businesses, remain in effect.

The extension of the state of emergency comes amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in The Gambia, with the number of confirmed cases in the country increasing exponentially in recent weeks.

The country's land and sea borders remain closed, with exceptions for freight and security personnel, and international flights remain suspended until at least August 31, with exceptions for cargo flights and other emergency flights. All passengers arriving in the Gambia are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a government-designated facility.

As of Friday, August 28, there have been 2749 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, and 93 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized. 

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly, and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.