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Coronavirus: Deaths stay at 96 but cases move past 3,000 after 66 people tested positive for virus

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Sixty-six new cases of coronavirus have been registered taking the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 3,029.

The health ministry said today 66 people out of 319 people has tested positive for the killer virus.

This represents a 20.7% test positivity rate, the health ministry said adding the median age of the new cases is 38 years (range: 19 to 89 years).

Mambury Njie and Fafa Sanyang conquer coronavirus as they recover from disease that has killed 96 in Gambia so far

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The Government said late Monday it is pleased to announce that Finance Minister, Mambury Njie and colleague, Energy Minister, Fafa Sanyang, have fully recovered from the Covid-19 Virus after their repeat tests turned negative.

“Accordingly, both ministers have since been discharged and can report to work as they are both well and asymptomatic,” government spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh said in a statement.

He added: “It can be recalled that both ministers tested positive after taking the COVID-19 test on August 1st 2020.

“Subsequently, Hon. Fafa Sanyang tested negative after a repeat test on 8th August 2020 and Hon Mambury Njie tested negative after a repeat test conducted on 22nd August 2020.

“Hon Sanyang was discharged on the 15th August, 2020 while Hon Njie was discharged on the 23rd August, 2020.

“The Gambia Government urges members of the public to continue following the Regulations outlined by The Health Ministry and World Health Organization on the Covid-19 pandemic. Hand washing, face covering, social distancing and limited social gatherings are the new norm and all are encouraged to follow.”

Plans to convert Kanifing Hospital into coronavirus treatment centre on track as forty doctors and eleven nurses get trained

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Forty doctors and eleven nurses at the Kanifing General Hospital have been trained coronavirus prevention and control amid plans to convert the largest hospital in Kanifing Municipality into a coronavirus treatment centre.

The hospital wrote on its official Facebook page on Monday: “Following the announcement by the Ministry of Health to re-purpose Kanifing General Hospital to a COVID-19 Treatment Center, the Hospital Management in collaboration with partners conducted two major trainings on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and COVID-19 Case Management.

“A total of forty doctors and eleven nurses received intensive training of IPC and Case Management.

“We extend our sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Health (MoH), Dr. Sunkaru Touray and his team and Dr. Darwin Pardon Gomez- Critical Care Physician/Intensivist at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital.”

Government’s row with Lovette Jallow continues as it denies collaboration claims

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The government has dismissed claims it is working with Lovette Jallow and her Action for Humanity NGO over the repatriation of distressed Gambian women in Lebanon.

Lovette Jallow had last week claimed the government has agreed to work with her in getting the women back to The Gambia.

“The Government of The Gambia is neither working with her nor working against her,” spokesperson Saikou Ceesay told The Standard.

He refused to give any further details, The Standard reported further.

It comes a day after the women accused the government through its consulate in Beirut of making them sign a fake declaration in their bid to return home. The foreign ministry spokesperson Saikou Ceesay ignored requests for comment from The Fatu Network.

URR governor FBSM shipped to interior ministry as Samba Bah takes over

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Upper River Region governor Fanta Bojang Samateh Manneh has been redeployed to the ministry of interior as deputy permanent secretary for Admin and Finance, according to GRTS.

Bojang Samateh Manneh has been URR governor since 2018.

According to GRTS on Monday, the local government official has been deployed to the Ministry of The Interior, as Deputy Permament Secretary, Admin and Finance.

She is replaced by Samba Bah who served as her deputy during her time as Governor, GRTS said.

Police accused of freeing thieves if members of the public catch them and take them to police station

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A The Fatu Network reader has slammed the police accusing them of freeing thieves if they are taken to them.

Lamin Jaiteh said: “Personally was a victim of thievery in my compound sometimes back. I refused people to deal with the thief and drove him to the police station. The following morning I went there to give my statement only to find out that the guy have been released.

“I was made to understand that the guy is not well and due to covid 19, the police release him. What do you expect if it happens to me again. Of course to deal with the thief mercilessly.

“Our problem with the thieves are the law enforcement officers. If you hand over the thieves to any police stations nowadays, the guy may leave you lingering in the police station while he will be stealing somewhere. Can you imagine.”

His comments come as police announced the arrest of a mob that mercilessly dealt with an alleged thief in URR.

The police said such barbaric act has no place in any civilized society and of course not in the Gambia.

Coronavirus cases near 3,000 as ministry of health says 68 people have newly tested positive for virus

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Sixty-eight people have newly tested positive for coronavirus taking the number of cases to 2,963.

According to the health ministry, 199 people underwent coronavirus testing and 68 of them tested positive.

This represents a 34.2% test positivity rate, according to the ministry adding those that tested positive are between the ages of 4 to 78 years.

Gambia Democratic Congress launches its website but coronavirus ensures launch event is a subdued one

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Gambia Democratic Congress has launched its website and manifesto 15 months to presidential elections.

The party launched its website at a subdued ceremony held at its HQ in Latrikunda Sabiji on Sunday.

“We recognise your relevance in the politics and development of all nations but due to the Covid-19 rules and social distancing, we limit the numbers for a low key inauguration,” the party’s MC Cham Jnr said while regretting not inviting all of the nation’s media.

The party’s website address is www.gdc.gm

 

URR mob land themselves in trouble as they get arrested after a video of them torturing alleged thief emerged online

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Police on Sunday railed at an act of savagery meted out to a man after he was accused of being a thief.

A video emerged this weekend online of a man tied to a tree and being tortured during an interrogation session by a mob. The incident reportedly happened in URR.

Police released a statement Sunday saying: “The Inspector General’s Office hereby notifies the public that it’s officers in Basse area have followed up on a video circulating on social media, in which a guy speaking in the fula dialect was tied with a rope on a tree and tortured for allegedly stealing cattle.

“Such barbaric act has no place in any civilized society and of course not in the Gambia.

“While the alleged offence is under investigation, the public is informed that all the perpetrators of the torture are currently under police custody being processed for prosecution.

“Members of the public are strongly cautioned to desist from taking the law into their own hands and report all crime related matters to the police for appropriate actions.

“The usual cooperation and understanding of the public is highly solicited.”

It comes a day after Madi Jobarteh called on the police to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

“Wherever this happened in the Gambia must be investigated by the IGP so that the torturers are brought to justice ASAP. Mob justice is criminal and illegal,” Mr Jobarteh had said.

PHOTO: The declaration letter Gambian women in Lebanon signed and are now whining over

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Gambian girls in Beirut set to return to the country have claimed the government has taken advantage of their desperation to leave Lebanon by making them sign a misleading declaration. Below is a screenshot photo of the letter.

 

Africmed’s war with its staff is not over as the staff remain committed to their Monday protest – as they reveal the protest is over the non-renewal of contract of three of their compatriots

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By Lamin Njie

Staff of Africmed will on Monday protest in front of the facility over the non-renewal of the contracts of three employees.

Africmed was locked in a bitter war with its staff after the clinic slashed their salary by 25 percent. The staff then launched a fightback that caused the clinic to capitulate and restore their salary.

The staff have said they will now go on to protest over the redundancy of three of their compatriots.

In letters seen by The Fatu Network, Amadou Sanyang, Landing Jaiteh and Ambrose Bangura are seen being told by the clinic through hospital administrator Modou Sise that it has no intention to extend their contracts. They’re then asked to return all hospital property.

The staff will on Monday protest in front of the hospital in Brusubi.

Hospital administrator Modou Sise said he could not comment on the laying off of the three staff as it was an internal matter. He then blasted that no one was stopping the staff from protesting.

 

Africmed ABANDONS unpopular salary cut move and apologises to staff after they rejected the move and then threatened to stage a strike

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By Lamin Njie

Top medical facility Africmed has back-pedalled on a move to cut the salary of its staff by 25 percent after it was challenged by the staff.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown Africmed into financial turmoil and the clinic in a bid to get by slashed the salary of its staff by 25 percent.

In a 19 August memo seen by The Fatu Network, the management of the clinic is seen regretting cutting the salary of the staff earning more than D5,000 while indicating the monies would be paid back.

Some staff that spoke to The Fatu Network said the decision was taken without their consent. They also said they’d written to the clinic’s administrator and threatened to stage a strike on Monday if their monies are not given to them.

The clinic’s administrator Modou Sise told The Fatu Network coronavirus informed the move.

“This was applied due to some financial difficulties the institution is facing and any deductions was to be paid back in due course,” he said.

He added: “However, management met on Friday and it was announced that all deductions will be refunded on Monday latest.

“The CEO has sent a message to all staff that they should see the finance manager to get their monies refunded and has apologised for inconveniences caused to the staff and their family.”

Dispute breaks out in repatriation of Gambian women in Lebanon AGAIN as the women accuse the government of capitalising on their desperation to sign a fake declaration

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Fatou Camara II

Gambian girls in Beirut set to return to the country have claimed the government has taken advantage of their desperation to leave Lebanon by making them sign a misleading declaration.

Tens of Gambian girls that travelled to Lebanon for greener pastures have been scrambling to return home after coronavirus ensured all didn’t go as planned for them in the Middle East nation. A lot of them have lost their jobs and some told The Fatu Network they are struggling to get even food to eat.

A concerned Gambian then rushed to their aid as they called on the government to help them return to the country.

Lovette Jallow and the Gambia government have however struggled to get along as the government has accused the activist of using the plight of the girls for monetary gains. The government also accused Lovette of tarnishing its image. Lovette has pushed back at the claims as false.

Last week, Lovette paid the air ticket of 38 of the girls after the government through its consulate in Beirut finally released their passports.

The girls have now railed that the government has made them sign a misleading repatriation declaration.

One who spoke on behalf of the women told The Fatu Network: “The information on the repatriation letter is not our words. We were asked to signed that misleading letter if we want to come back home, so we had no choice but to sign it. But those are not our words.

“The worst is it was not indicated in the letter that Lovette Jallow paid for our tickets and nothing was included as to why we chose Lovette over the government , this is not fair . We are not happy about the actions of the government.”

The Fatu Network saw a copy of the declaration of one of the girls and in it, the girl is seen admitting she doesn’t want the government to assist her return home and that she lived in Lebanon for two years illegally.

Minstry of foreign affairs spokesperson Saikou Ceesay ignored requests for comment.

ECOWAS says head of Mali’s transitional government won’t be allowed to run in next Presidential elections

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By CGTN Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said on Saturday the leader of the yet to be formed Transitional government will not be allowed to run in the country’s next elections.

A declaration by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government urged the military junta which has remained in power since the ouster of President Ibrahim Boubacar to transfer power to a civilian-led transitional government.

The body said the transitional government will remain in power for one year, after which national elections will be held.

In the declaration, ECOWAS said the leader of the transitional government should be someone “known for his/her professional qualities as well as intellectual and moral probity.”

“The Transition President will not stand as a candidate in the next presidential election,” it added.

The latest development comes after the regional body said earlier this week it would also consider a transitional government led by a retired army officer.

ECOWAS deployed a mediation team to Mali last weekend in search of a peaceful solution to the political crisis there following the ouster of president Ibrahim Keita last week.

Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse were arrested alongside other government officials after the military took power on 18 August following weeks of protests in the West African country. They were released earlier this week.

ECOWAS led other countries and organizations in condemning the ouster, but thousands of Malians later took to the streets to show their support for it.

Side By Side’s interest in the environment sees group team up with army and Earth Network and plant trees at Yundum Barracks Upper Basic School

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Not-for-profit organisation Side By Side on Saturday left a green mark on Yundum Barracks Upper Basic School following a tree planting exercise.

“This project furthers our goal in environment by promoting green initiatives that strengthen sustainable development,” the group said of the exercise on its official Facebook page Saturday.

The initiative came amid a partnership between Side By Side, the Gambia Armed Forces through its Education Unit and Earth Network The Gambia.

“We thank the GAF Education Unit and Earth Network The Gambia for partnering with us on this project,” Side By Side said.

 

Ecowas asks Col Assimi Goita and co to hand back power to civilians and that elections be held in a year

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By Reuters

Mali’s West African neighbors on Friday told the military junta which seized control 10 days ago that it must transfer power to a civilian-led transitional government immediately and hold elections within a year.

In exchange, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) committed to lifting sanctions gradually as the coup leaders complied with its demands, the bloc’s chairman said.

ECOWAS suspended Mali from its institutions, shut borders and halted financial flows with the country following the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18.

On Friday, the 15-member group reinforced its hard-line because of concerns about prolonged instability in Mali and its potential to undermine the fight against Islamist militants there and in the wider Sahel region.

It outlined four main points it wanted to see progress on before sanctions could be gradually lifted.

Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, who currently chairs ECOWAS, said Mali’s transitional president and prime minister must be civilians and would be banned from running in the next legislative and presidential elections.

“No military structure should be above the transitional president,” Issoufou said.

ECOWAS also called for the quick establishment of a government that will tackle the various challenges Mali is facing, and in particular prepare for legislative and presidential elections within 12 months.

A spokesman for the junta, Djibrila Maiga, said its leaders were still studying the bloc’s decisions.

The junta issued a statement on Friday evening inviting Mali’s political parties including Keita’s ruling coalition and civil society groups to a meeting on Saturday to discuss the organization of the transition.

Some members of Mali’s opposition coalition, the M5-RFP, which held several demonstrations calling for Keita to resign before the coup, said the regional leaders were misreading the situation.

“ECOWAS needs to revise its position,” Clement Dembele, a member of the coalition and a former presidential candidate, said in Bamako.

“The question, today, is that Mali needs statesmen. Mali doesn’t need a civilian or a soldier but a statesman,” he said.

The junta leaders said after taking power that they acted because the country was sinking into chaos, insecurity and corruption, blaming poor leadership.

The soldiers behind the coup are anxious to get the sanctions lifted and, as a gesture of goodwill, released Keita on Thursday and allowed him to return home.

They also cut their proposed duration of a transition to democracy to two years from three.

Mountaga Tall, another member of the M5-RFP coalition, said Mali’s needs must be identified first before fixing the deadline for a transition.

“It would be more rational, more reassuring to establish the tasks for the transition and, relative to the immensity of these tasks, to then decide if it will be three months, two years or three years,” he said.

Two diplomats who attended the conference said there was room for the transition to be extended for a couple of months beyond the ECOWAS deadline.

Regional leaders are scheduled to meet again on Sept. 7 in Niger’s capital Niamey, where they will assess the situation in Mali and take other measures, if necessary, Issoufou said.

Mali has struggled to regain stability since a Tuareg uprising in 2012 was hijacked by Islamist militants.

A French intervention drove back the insurgents but since 2018 the country has seen a sharp increase in violence and insecurity that has driven more than half a million people from their homes.

TRIBUTE: Sally P.C Njie(1932-2020), (The Gambia’s First Librarian; Pioneer Chief Librarian of The Gambia National Library)

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The Mother of Library in The Gambia is Gone!

By: Hassoum Ceesay, Historian

Aunty Sally P.C Njie died this week at the ripe age of 88. She was the pioneer staff of The Gambia National Library when it was founded in 1963, a few months after the closure of the British Council in Bathurst. Hitherto, the British Council Library served as the only reference and lending library facility in the country. Her demise offers us an opportunity to go down memory lane and retrace the development of public library service in The Gambia.
It was Bishop Daley of the Anglican Mission who opened the first public library facility in Bathurst in 1945. Before then the few educated elite had always moaned in the pages of the Bathurst Press that the absence of a public reading facility was indeed a shame which needed to be remedied. Although Bishop Daley’s library was mainly ecclesiastical, it whetted the appetite of local readers such that in 1946, the British Council opened its Library and Reading Room along Clifton Road(Independence Drive), where the National Museum is now located. Ms Njie was among the first Gambian staff at the British Council Library.

In 1955, she was sent to study Library Science at the Gold Coast(Ghana), and in 1957 she returned home a qualified librarian. Subsequently, her keenness and determination was requited with a yearlong internship at the Ghana Library Board. She studied in the UK to become a Chartered Librarian.

In 1962, the British Council told the P.S Njie’s Government that it was closing its operations in The Gambia. Despite Chief Minister Njie flying to London to argue against this decision, the Council shut its operations in 1963, but handed over its library collection of 5000 volumes to The Gambia Government. The debate raged as to what to do with the books: distribute them to school libraries or establish a National Library. Ms Njie managed to convince Premier Jawara that the latter option was more dignified of a country.

She was asked to become Librarian. She worked alone for there were no other qualified Librarians in the country. Also, no resources were allocated to the nascent library. But by dint of hard work and foresight, Ms Njie built the National Library into a formidable instrument for national development.

For example, by 1970, the Library had over 7000 books and lent 4000 books annually. Soon, she operated a mobile library service that took reading material to all parts of the country. Moreover, she established the Gambiana Section where she deposited every material published about The Gambia. This section still exists, and it is most useful to researchers.

However, Ms Njie greatest legacy was how she successfully built up a cadre of Gambian librarians. She started by training school librarians, and later some of them were recruited into The Gambia National Library staff. Ms Njie insisted that each trained school librarians, mostly teachers, must returned back to their school with a Reading Cupboard full of interesting books which he/she could lend out to pupils or use in the Reading class sessions.

Ms Njie started the issuance of International Standard Book Number(ISBN) and the International Standard Serial Number(ISSN), the sort of birth certificates of all publications, from books to newspapers, which make them traceable in the international publications system. Before the introduction of the ISBN and ISSN, it was not possible to trace a publication printed in the country or to have it deposited in major libraries like The Library of Congress or the British Library.

With support of the British Government, The Gambia National Library was moved to a more spacious site along Reg Pye Lane in Banjul in 1976. Ms Njie became The Gambia First Chief Librarian and remained so until her retirement in 1987.

But prior to her retirement, she had published widely. In 1979, for example, she published the first ever edition of Who’s Who The Gambia. This is a biographical dictionary of prominent Gambians in all spheres of life. In 2016, I worked with James Abraham and Alhaji A.M Sering-Secka on an updated version of Who’s Who The Gambia, published by Toplink Print. To her scholarly credit also, Ms Njie annually published a Bibliography of The Gambia, which listed all published material on the country to serve as reference guide to researchers. In later years, Professor David Gamble expanded the Bibliography and continued to publish it.

On 30 May 2005, I met Ms Njie at her modest house off Garba Jahumpa Road for an interview on her life for my book titled Gambian Women: An Introductory History(Fulladu Publishers, 2007). She told me the contours of her life from her days at the Methodist Girls High School, and her sojourn as a staff of the Post Office in the 1950s. She also told me how as one of the first Gambian women to drive a car, how when she took books to the villages, crowds will turn up to see if it was indeed true that there was a woman who could drive a car. ‘Driving my new Landrover through Gambian villages in the 1950s and 1960s, I realized that I was breaking stereotypes of women not being able to do certain tasks..’, she told me then.

Another thing she told me was how came she spoke such impeccable English. Once over the telephone, I asked her where she got her perfect British Accent. Ms Njie laughed and told me at school in those days they learnt Greek and Latin, and did Pronunciation as a subject as they did Hand writing. ‘But you know, I also spent many years in England as a student and on holidays’.

Ms Njie was an accomplished Gambian woman. She built singlehandedly, from scratch, one of the most important institutions in our Republic, our National Library, the depository of our knowledge production and the fulcrum of our knowledge consumption. She was modest, intelligent and keen in the production, distribution and consumption of knowledge in The Gambia.

To her family, friends and colleagues at the National Library like Mr. Mbye, Ms. Ndow, and to all staff of the National Library, I convey my condolences and pray that her soul rest in peace.

(Sally P.C Njie, Gambian Chartered Librarian; Pioneer Chief Librarian of The Gambia National Library, born in Bathurst 1932; died 25 August 2020).

Hassoum Ceesay, historian

Businessman Alasan Gent Ceesay takes Rahma’s generosity to EFSTH as company supports the nation’s top hospital with equipment half a million dalasis was spent on

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By Jaka Ceesay Jaiteh

Businessman Alasan Gent Ceesay has taken his company’s corporate social responsibility to Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital by providing the hospital equipment worth half a million dalasis.

The Chief Executive Officer of Rahma Gambia, Mr Ceesay presented the items at a brief ceremony at the premises of the nation’s top hospital in Banjul on Friday. Rahma is one of the few Gambian owned companies engaged in the importation of food commodities and essential goods.

“It is a massive opportunity for us and a means of saying thank you to the frontline workers for their efforts during this period.” Mr Ceesay said.

Mr Ceesay added that this is not the end of his company’s contribution towards the society but the beginning.

“A portion of our profit to go back to the society. We see it as a social investment and not a charity.” he said.

The items presented included two desktop computers, a printer, a drug refrigerator, three stools, a projector, three staff lockers, UPS, two shoe racks, shelves and a table top.

The items were received on behalf of the hospital by Dr Kebba Marenah a senior doctor at the Edward Francis Small Teaching hospital.

 

Chadwick Boseman: Black Panther star dies of cancer aged 43

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By BBC

US actor Chadwick Boseman, best known for playing Black Panther in the hit Marvel superhero franchise, has died of cancer aged 43.

He died at home in Los Angeles with his wife and family by his side, a statement posted on social media said.

Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago but had not made the information public.

The news has left fans and the film world stunned. Get Out director Jordan Peele, said it was “a crushing blow”.

“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said in the statement.

“From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more – all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”

Boseman came to prominence playing real-life figures – baseball great Jackie Robinson in 2013’s 42, and soul singer James Brown in 2014’s Get on Up.

However, it will be as the titular Black Panther in the blockbuster 2018 film he will be best remembered.

Boseman stars as the ruler of Wakanda, a fictional African nation with the most advanced technology on earth.

As well as winning critical praise and taking more than $1.3 billion US dollars (£973m) at cinemas worldwide, the film was widely seen as a cultural milestone for having a largely black cast and a black director, Ryan Coogler.

Boseman said last year that the film had changed what it means to be “young, gifted and black”.

Black Panther was the first superhero film to get a nomination for best picture at the Oscars.

He also played the same role in other Marvel films Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

A sequel was in the works and due to come out in 2022, with Boseman set to return.

 

No new coronavirus deaths but cases storm to 2,895 after 98 new cases are discovered after 357 people are tested

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The ministry of health said on Saturday 98 new cases of coronavirus have been discovered following the testing of 357 people.

Ninety-eight new cases registered, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 2,895, the health ministry said.

“This represents a 27.5% test positivity rate (98 out of 357 total tests performed). The median age of the new cases is 33.5 years (range: 9 to 78 years),” it added.

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