Gambia announces first coronavirus case

The Gambia has recorded its first case of coronavirus, the country's health minister said on Tuesday, after the government also announced measures to contain its spread.

In a televised statement, Health Minister Ahmadou Lamin Samateh said officials in the tiny West African state had confirmed an infection in a young woman who had recently travelled from the United Kingdom.

She went into self-isolation after feeling feverish, before being confirmed as a positive case.

"All passengers who came in the same flight or in contact with the confirmed case will be traced and undergo isolation," the minister said.

Samateh's announcement came straight on the heels of a televised statement from President Adama Barrow, who announced anti-virus measures on Tuesday before The Gambia had a single confirmed case.

The president announced a ban on public gatherings and the closure of schools for three weeks from Wednesday.

Travellers from affected countries will also be isolated for two weeks, the president said.

© 2020 AFP