Photo taken on March 19, 2020 shows an almost empty beach which used to be full of tourists in Saly, Senegal. With tourists hurrying to fly back to Europe, shops, hotels and markets are gradually closing in Saly, the country's seaside resort town. The outbreak of COVID-19 is making a severe impact on the country's tourism industry. According to Senegalese Minister of Air Transport and Tourism Alioune Sarr, Senegal will suspend all international passenger flights toward midnight on Friday. (Photo by Eddy Peters/Xinhua)
DAKAR, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese Minister of Health and Social Action Abdoulaye Sarr said Thursday that the country has reported two new cases of COVID-19.
During a daily press briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, the health minister said the Pasteur Institute in Dakar notified his ministry of the two new cases, and that both are imported ones.
He also revealed that three patients under treatment have tested negative for the virus, including a 2-year-old baby who tested positive on March 14 and a French couple who tested positive on March 3 and March 4 respectively.
In order to protect the privacy of the patients and avoid stigma on certain foreign nationalities, the ministry has decided not to give further details on confirmed COVID-19 patients.
Senegalese Minister of Air Transport and Tourism Alioune Sarr announced Thursday that Senegal will suspend all international passenger flights toward midnight on Friday.
The country has suspended, since midnight Wednesday, all passenger flights to and from Europe and North Africa for a period of 30 days.
So far, Senegal has reported 38 cases of COVID-19. Five patients have been declared cured by local health authorities.
Among the 38 cases, 17 are imported and the rest belong to local transmission.
