The Ministry of Health and Social Action of Senegal announced on Sunday that it had detected some one hundred and forty-seven positive cases of Covid-19 in a sample of 590 Senegalese pilgrims returning from Mecca during the period from June 21 to 27.
“The Ministry of Health and Social Action informs that in the period from June 21 to 27, 2024, 590 pilgrims returning from the Holy Places of Islam were tested upon arrival at Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD)”, indicated a press release from the ministry.
“Results revealed 147 positive cases of Covid-19”, specifies the same source, adding that “no serious case has been recorded or treated in health structures”.
“Following confirmatory examinations carried out on the positive tests, it appears that all of the cases are due to different strains of the omicron variant already known and circulating in Senegal for several months”, underlines the ministry.
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“The vast majority of these strains appear in the database of the national reference laboratory for influenza and respiratory viruses which ensures regular genomic surveillance of Covid-19”, continues the same source.
The services of the Ministry of Health indicate that the omicron variants identified so far “do not show particular clinical severity of the disease, and often lead to mild infections”.
They recall that “The tested pilgrims were followed up for notification of their results and therapeutic prescription for confirmed cases. They are subject to health monitoring in their localities of residence“, according to the text.
With a view to avoiding the risk of an epidemic in the country, the press release ensures that “the MSAS has instructed its technical services to strengthen epidemiological surveillance”, which is extended to all respiratory infections.
“At the end of the return phase of the pilgrimage, routine epidemiological surveillance will be maintained at the airport and throughout the territory, in accordance with the national health policy,” the press release underlines, noting that the special system at the AIBD is intended to strengthen the permanent service of health control at air borders until the arrival of the last return flight scheduled for June 30, 2024.
With MAP
