Diass (Mbour), June 23 (APS) – A coronavirus positivity rate varying between 20% and 60% was diagnosed among pilgrims returning from the holy places of Islam, depending on the flights, said Sunday, Charles Bernard Sagna, chief doctor of the air border health control service at Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD).
”We are currently receiving results from the laboratory which carries out the covid-19 tests and we have among pilgrims, a rate between 20% and 60% of positivity for coronavirus, depending on the return flights from the Holy Places of Islam,” Mr. Sagna told APS.
“I therefore invite pilgrims who are going to leave Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to wear the mask before entering their respective aircraft and to continue to wear it, once in Senegal, within the community and at home, to prevent the spread of the disease,” he said.
“I invite pilgrims returning from Mecca to wear protective masks for at least two weeks,” he insisted.
According to him, “the aim of these preventive measures against this disease is to avoid an uncontrollable epidemic in the country”. “There are therefore reasons to be concerned about the pilgrims arriving in the country,” he warned.
He specified that for the moment, it will be very difficult for him to give an exact figure of the number of pilgrims positive for the coronavirus, since the laboratory in charge of the tests works in sequence and the results are compiled and sent to the Ministry of Health. Cheers, as they arrive.
”So, at the moment, at my level, I cannot say exactly the number of positive cases. I can only give, the positivity rate per flight,” he added.
The doctor invited returning pilgrims to contact the nearest health facility, if unfortunately they have a fever and breathing difficulties.
He indicated that at the AIBD pilgrims’ hangar, where the largest number of pilgrims from the General Pilgrimage Delegation arrive, a health system is in place and mobile teams move to the planes to provide masks. to pilgrims.
”We have also set up an emergency system which makes it possible to take care of complicated cases, as soon as they get off the plane (and) we offer pilgrims the opportunity to be tested,” he further explained. .
”It is a strong recommendation from the authority in strict compliance with the common rules of life in the country, because for us, we must avoid large-scale contamination in the country,” he insisted.
The doctor assured that pilgrims will be allowed to be further screened for covid-19 and symptoms of the disease.
To date, the AIBD has recorded seven return flights from the holy sites of Islam in Saudi Arabia.
