Three staff members of the Medical Research Council at the Bundung Maternal and Child Health Hospital (BMCHH) are in self-isolation after coming into contact with an Islamic preacher who died of the coronavirus.
The unnamed 70-year-old Islamic preacher arrived in the Gambia from Senegal on 13th March and was residing at the Markaz Islamic Centre in Bundungka Kunda, where he interacted with members of the community for several days.
He later took ill and was taken to BMCHH on 20th March where was attended by staff including the three MRC staff, who were not aware that he was carrying the disease. But as his conditions worsened, he was referred to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) but died on the way.
A samples collected from the man was taken to the specialist secure laboratories of the Medical Research Council in Fajara where they were tested and returned a positive result of coronavirus.
The Markaz Islamic Centre is frequented by hundreds of worshippers a week and authorities are urging anyone who has come into contact with the decease and showing symptoms of the disease to call the free emergency helpline 1025 from any network.
