Coronavirus is higher among Gambian men than women as data by the ministry of health have shown over 1,500 men tested positive for the disease compared to 1,136 women that tested positive for the disease.

According to the ministry of health’s latest report, 1,545 men tested positive for coronavirus amid 1,136 women catching the disease. This however does not include 27 new cases whose demographic information are yet to be added.

The reports shows coronavirus is highest among Gambians between the ages of 31 and 40 – as a massive 435 men in that age bracket have tested positive for Covid-19 while 289 women of in the same age bracket have contracted the disease.

Volunteer doctors have taken it upon themselves to account for positive cases that are self-isolating at home by regularly calling and monitoring their conditions, the ministry of health said on Wednesday as it revealed cases of virus have jumped to 2,708 following the discovery of 22 new cases.

According to the ministry, the country currently has 31 people in quarantine, 2,004 active cases, 220 probable cases and a crude case-fatality ratio of 3.4%.

The bulk of the active cases are asymptomatic and are as such self-isolating at home pending the manifestation of symptoms, the ministry said.

The State Guard has adopted a new uniform for its men and women, a dark khaki costume.

Army’s deputy spokesman Lieutenant Malick Sanyang told The Fatu Network the uniform is meant for Mondays and Wednesdays.

“The said uniform came as a way of harmonising the dress code of personnel the State Guard and the Gambia Police Force under the presidential guard. It is more of blurring the lines among the service personnel,” the army’s deputy spokesman said.

By CGTN Africa

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Tuesday that 326 illegal migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast over the past week.

“In the period of 15-24 August, 326 migrants were intercepted at sea and returned to Libya,” the IOM said in a statement.

The IOM further added that a total of 7,573 illegal migrants, including 500 women and 418 children, have been rescued and returned to Libya so far in 2020.

In 2019, a total of 9,225 illegal migrants were rescued and returned to Libya, the IOM said, adding that 270 migrants died and 992 went missing on the Central Mediterranean route.

Following the 2011 fall of the former leader Gaddafi’s regime, Libya has been plagued by a state of insecurity and chaos that encourages thousands of illegal migrants to attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea towards Europe.

The IOM has repeatedly stressed that Libya is not a safe port for the disembarkation of rescued migrants.

Chairman of CRC Justice Cherno Sulayman Jallow has insisted the draft constitution is not perfect and never was meant to be.

“The DC (Draft Constitution) is not perfect and never was meant to be,” Justice Jallow said during a capacity building workshop for the National Council for Civic Education on Tuesday.

The top legal mind added: “Indeed no matter how hard we had worked, we would not have been able to achieve perfection.

“Every Constitution that had been developed in the course of history, whether of this country or some other country, represented differing opinions that had been shaped to what its framers considered as representing the generality of the good of the country, now and going into the future.

“”The DC is no different. It is therefore your duty, as participants of this Workshop, to learn as much of it as possible in an objective manner without in any way being influenced by your personal thoughts. In other words, aim to learn and deliver what the DC says, not what it does not say.”

Distressed Gambian women in Lebanon have edged ever closer to a return to the country following the payment of their air ticket.

Lovette Jallow the Gambian woman helping them return home said on Wednesday 22,500 dollars have been used to purchase ticket for all 38 women set to return home.

“We also paid for half the lawyers fees at the same time the remaining $2500 will be paid when the women enter the flight. Tomorrow the women pick up their printed tickets with our lawyers,” Jallow said in an update on her Facebook page.

It comes a day after the government agreed to work with Jallow and her Action for Humanity organisation.

The government had initially expressed unwillingness to work with her.

President Adama Barrow has declared Saturday 29 August as a public Holiday throughout The Gambia in observance of the Muslim New Year also known as Yawmul Ashura.

A State House statement said: “As the observance of the day coincides with the global Coronavirus pandemic, President Barrow urges Muslims to remember and pray for those who lost their lives because of the virus and wish those infected a speedy recovery.

“As ‘Yawmul Ashura’ is a time for special prayers, the President also urges all to pray for peace, stability, progress, and development in our country and around the globe.

“He also extends best wishes to all Muslims in The Gambia and abroad, in particular, the COVID Frontline workers in the various fields of operations a happy and blessed Yawmul Ashura.”

Three new COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded bringing the total number of deaths registered since March to 93, according to the ministry of health.

“Out of a total of 7 posthumous samples collected, 3 tested positive for COVID-19. The median age, at death, of the 3 deceased cases (2 females and 1 male) is 60 years (range: 51 to 76 years),” the ministry said on Wednesday, a day after after revealing three people between the ages of 72 and 83 died of the virus.

It comes as the ministry also said it has tested 98 people in which 22 tested positive for coronavirus.

Cases now stand at 2,708.

By Sarjo Brito

The nightmare faced by Gambian women in Lebanon edged to a close on Tuesday after the government agreed to work with a concerned Gambian and her NGO.

Following a week long standoff, government has finally accepted to work with the Action for Humanity NGO to help bring home 36 distressed women back to the country.

Updating Gambians on social media, Lovette Jallow revealed that the Government has finally decided to work with her NGO to help repatriate the women after a bitter back and forth where government accused her of trying to tarnish the image of the country.

Jallow said 26 of the girls have now been confirmed to receive their travel documents today whilst another 10 waits for their papers to be processed. Two women have also been added to the repatriation list after their families reached out to the humanitarian. Jallow said her NGO will pick up the tab for all 38 women. The women are expected to depart Lebanon on Friday September 4.

The humanitarian also revealed big plans for the women as her NGO plans to donate 1million Gambian dalasis to help them makeup for what she describes as lost wages.

President Adama Barrow has contended significant progress would be made over the country’s coronavirus fightback if ‘everyone’ adhered to the health guidelines.

The president spoke on Monday during the first virtual meeting of the Cabinet sub-Committee on COVID-19 chaired by the Vice President, Dr. Isatou Touray, according to State House.

State House said Tuesday: “The President expressed delight in having his Cabinet colleagues back at work, adding ‘a lot needs to be done as the pandemic is affecting every sector’. Aside from the regular briefings he receives from the Vice President, this meeting has availed him the opportunity to hear first-hand, the achievements and challenges encountered in the fight against the disease.

“President Barrow used the opportunity to express gratitude to the new National COVID Response Coordinator, Mr. Yaya Duwa Sanyang for accepting the job and encouraged all stakeholders to work together as a team. He also urged them to learn and seek support from others, where necessary.

“The Health Minister and the National COVID Response Coordinator respectively briefed the meeting on recent health response strategies adopted including efforts to overcome the challenges in the containment, treatment and prevention of Coronavirus in the country.

“On the treatment of COVID, the meeting was informed that over eighty beds are available and currently over twenty of them were occupied in the Greater Banjul Area. Meanwhile, testing facilities are being decentralized to make them more accessible to rural communities and three facilities, Kiang Keneba, Soma and Basse are now operational, while Bansang, Farafenni, the Independence stadium and Ndemban Clinic are being refurbished to accommodate and make treatment of COVID cases more accessible.

“The Health Response team will also be reviewing the surveillance strategies in containing community transmission by building the capacity of surveillance workers and increasing the number of tests per day.

“Other aspects of the Coronavirus pandemic discussed, included the negative impact of the Emergency Regulations on various sectors and efforts to mitigate them, the role of the various frontlines workers as well as support of individuals and groups were recognised and appreciated by the Cabinet Sub-Committee.

“In his closing remark, the Gambian leader reiterated that as a Politician, he depends on technical advice to enable him to make informed policy decisions. He described the meeting as ‘good and worth the time,’ while pointing out that, aside from the health aspect of COVID, other facets of our development agenda should be addressed and the procedures and processes enhanced.”

Mile 2-detained Yankuba Touray on Tuesday took the high court in Banjul through his educational background and career in the military as he testified in his own defence over a murder charge he is facing.

Mr Touray, 54, is accused of involvement in the death of former Gambian finance minister Ousman Koro Ceesay, in an alleged murder incident that allegedly took place in 1995.

High Court judge Ebrima Jaiteh had on Monday ruled the former 1994 junta top-shot be allowed to testify in his own trial, as requested by his lawyers.

On Tuesday, Touray began by taking the high court through his educational background and career in the military.

He told the court he was enlisted in the Gambia National Army in 1986 and his early years in the military saw him go through a military course in Forte Benin in Georgia United States.

The court also heard Touray held different roles in the military after his return to The Gambia among them commander roles at the Second Infantry Battalion in Farafenni and Kudang military post.

He will continue his testimony tomorrow.

The Gambia will hold the 6th annual Internet Governance Forum, an event that is being organized through a multi-stakeholder National Steering Committee with a secretariat supported by the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure.

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves to bring people together from various stakeholder groups as equals, in discussions on public policy issues relating to the Internet. While there is no negotiated outcome, the IGF informs and inspires those with policy-making power in both the public and private sectors, a press release shared with The Fatu Network said.

“The event will present a virtual dialogue to discuss the immediate need to implement policies that ensures inclusion in connection to the internet in a dire time of the pandemic where the internet provides a crucial link to information that helps us keep our families healthy and safe during this global health crisis, while tapping into the information and data authenticity in the Gambia,” said National Chair Adama Jallow, according to the press release.

This year’s event will be held on the 26th and 27th August, 2020 virtually for the first time.

The National IGF is organized under the overarching theme and a main session of: “Digital Inclusion in The Gambia in Times of COVID-19”. The Virtual meeting will also feature two sub-themes as sessions with panels on: Impact of Social Media on Mis-Information and Fake News in relation to Elections 2021 [and] Privacy and Data Protection within the Gambia.

The forum aimed at converging 200 participants drawn from national, regional, youth representatives, government, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector in a dialogue on current and emerging issues to help shape the internet in The Gambia.

One hundred and one people have tested positive for coronavirus as cases jumped to 2,686, according to latest data by the ministry of health.

The ministry said on Tuesday 101 people tested positive for the disease out of 379 people that newly took the test.

The median age of the new cases is 36 years (range: 1 to 100 years), the health ministry said.

Three people have become the latest to die of coronavirus.

The ministry of health said on Tuesday two men and a woman have died of the virus taking fatalities to 90.

“Of these, while one was a known COVID-19 patient isolated at the Sanatorium, the remaining 2 had their COVID-19 statuses confirmed posthumously,” the ministry said.

Police warned Monday forgery is a criminal offence amid the arrest of ‘few’ individuals over fake number plates.

Police have launched an operation targeting vehicles across the country amid reports certain individuals are in the business of forging or imitating the new aluminium vehicle number plates.

Police said: “The general public is hereby reminded that forgery or imitation of the above-mentioned plates is a criminal offence. In fact a few individuals suspected of the illegal act were arrested and are being processed for court.

“The General Public is further informed that, the IGPs office through its Mobile Traffic Department will conduct an operation to check on vehicles for possible detection of forged or imitated number plates.

“Vehicles owners with the new Aluminium Number Plates are advised to display the QR Stickers on their vehicles at all times . Those owners of vehicles who were issued with authentic Aluminium Plates minus the QR Stickers are advised to get their stickers from the nearest Comfort Quality Services outlet.

“Similarly, vehicle owners who paid for the old plate and didn’t get their number plates should present official receipt issued to them at any Comfort Quality Services outlet to get the new plates without repayment.

“The Office of the Inspector General of Police strongly warned that individuals found wanting of forging or imitating the new Aluminium Number Plates will be prosecuted according to Law.

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