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Africa Health

Second case of coronavirus in Senegal as African sports shelved

A second case of coronavirus was confirmed in Senegal as elsewhere on the African continent various sporting events are cancelled to prevent the spread of the virus. The newly confirmed case in Dakar is an 80-year-old French man who arrived in the country on Friday.

Staff work in a secure laboratory researching the coronavirus at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar on 3 February 2020.
Staff work in a secure laboratory researching the coronavirus at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar on 3 February 2020. Photo: Seyllou/AFP
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The retired Frenchman was quarantined at the infectious diseases section of Fann Hospital after having seen the doctor at Guédiawaye Hospital in Dakar’s suburbs just two days following his arrival in Senegal.

Tests carried out by the Pasteur Institute confirmed presence of the virus and his condition is “stable” according to Senegal’s health ministry.

The other confirmed case of coronavirus, a 33-year-old Frenchman, also remains in quarantine and his condition is said to be “comfortable”. The expat is reported to have returned to Dakar last week from France. Contact tracing related to the two cases to identify possible further infections has started.

Sporting events shelved 

A number of sporting events across the African continent have been postponed or delayed in view of the potential for further spread of coronavirus.

The Basketball Africa League will not take place in Dakar on 13 March as originally expected. The NBA, one of the co-organisers, said they had followed the advice of the Senegalese government following the first confirmed COVID-19 case. The inaugural league is expected to take place at a later date.

A number of events have been put on the backburner in Morocco. The Tour de Maroc cycling event and the Judo Grand Prix have both been cancelled by the Moroccan authorities as a precautionary measure.

Tour de Maroc was expected to take place in early April and the Judo Grand Prix in Rabat was scheduled for the forthcoming weekend. Morocco has one confirmed case of COVID-19.

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