The Gambian Ministry of Health has informed the general public about an update on the testing guidance for passengers coming into the West African country.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Health is monitoring the progress on the pandemic, noting that “there is a fast-spreading new strain of the coronavirus which has emerged in the UK and now in many other countries.
Its potential implications for public health have begun to be examined, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).”
In the light of this, the country’s Ministry of Health has required that all travelers coming from hotspot countries where the new strain of coronavirus has been identified will undergo sample taking and testing upon arrival in the country in addition to having a valid COVID-19 PCR test results of 72hrs.
Furthermore, these travelers must undergo mandatory quarantine at their own cost, according to the statement. In addition, “Samples that are found positive upon their testing on arrival in The Gambia, will have the virus strain sequenced to confirm the genome.”
All other travelers from countries not identified as hotspot for the new strain of COVID-19 must provide a valid negative PCR test to go on home isolation. Effective 9th January, 2021 the hot spot countries that these restrictions will apply to are as follows (additional countries could be added at the discretion of the Ministry of Health):
United Kingdom
Belgium
Italy
USA
France
Japan
Singapore
Spain
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Jordan
Lebanon
The Netherlands
Turkey
Norway
India
Pakistan
Chile
Switzerland
Denmark
The Ministry of Health seeks compliance of the public to this order.
