By Nelson Manneh
Health Authorities have yesterday informed this medium that five thousand three hundred and forty-five (5345) people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of March 25th 2021.
The Covax vaccine in town caters for only 20% of the population throughout the country. The allocation according to the Ministry of Health will be able to vaccinate all aged 41 years and above, including priority groups summing up to 487, 780 based on projected population census 2013.
Meanwhile, no new COVID-19-related deaths have been registered and the total number since March 2020 is now one hundred and sixty-three.
The Gambia has on Sunday 28th March 2021 registered thirty-six new cases of the deadly coronavirus, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to five thousand four hundred and one.
53% of these tested for reasons of travelling, 35% being ill seeking health care due to suspicion of COVID- 19, 12% routine respiratory disease surveillance systems. The median age of the new cases is 38.5.
This is the 286th national situation report since the confirmation of the first case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in The Gambia, on the 16th March 2020. The Gambia currently has two hundred and eight active cases.
Modou Njai, the Director of Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health, said a total of four hundred and sixteen new laboratory test results were received from the Medical Research Council and the National Public Health Lab.
Of these, Director Njai said thirty-six new samples tested positive, representing 8.7 % positivity test rate.
He said thirty-one high-risk contacts of recently confirmed cases were identified. Three COVID-19 patients were newly discharged from treatment centres, while 37 got discharged at least 10 days from the day they tested positive, but evaded institutional isolation.
No COVID-19 patients are currently on oxygen therapy.