By Yusupha Jobe
The ministry of Health on Tuesday announced in a press statement that four out of 140 passengers who arrived on SN Brussels in the country escaped the 14 days COVID-19 mandatory quarantine.
The Belgian flight landed on Monday June 22, 2020 with over 100 passengers on board according to the health ministry, revealing one out of the four fugitives has voluntarily surrendered himself to the health authorities and taken into quarantine.
The statement further disclosed that the second fugitive was reported by a neighbor and subsequently picked up together with her boyfriend who smuggled her while logistic arrangement where in progress .
The release pointed out that the incident happened at a time when officials of the health ministry were working on the safe and orderly transferred of all passengers from the Banjul International Airport to different places of government funded quarantine facilities within the Greater Banjul Area.
“Unlike other countries, the Gambia government rents standard hotel as quarantine facilities. Here in the Gambia person taken into quarantine are provided with boarding and accommodation for the duration of 14 days. The ministry’s quarantine for Gambians and Non-Gambians arriving from the COVID-19 hotspots will be quarantined without exceptions,” the release stated.
The ministry in its appeal has requested for those who have travelled on SN Brussels flight to the Banjul international airport to report themselves to the health authorities or call 1025 adding that failure of which their names will be announced over the media to be followed by arrests from their homes.
“The ministry of health is urging those escaped to report themselves or face immediate arrest from their homes as the ministry is in possession of their passport details,” the statement said.
