Senegal asks citizens to avoid travel for Eid over virus risk

After daily record numbers of Covid-19 infections in recent days, Senegalese health officials recommended Thursday that people refrain from traveling for the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival set to take place next week.

In social media posts, health minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr recommended mask-wearing at all times and avoiding “movement and travel during the Tabaski festival”, as the holiday is known in west and central Africa.

Families typically mark Tabaski by gathering for a sacrifice, and may travel long distances in crowded cars and buses for the occasion.

Diouf Sarr also recommended working from home whenever possible and reducing staff elsewhere.

Infections have been rising across the continent, with Senegal itself recording a record 733 new infections on Wednesday, followed by 674 on Thursday.

But increasing worry from Senegal’s medical community has not turned president Macky Sall from his course of avoiding strict measures, relying instead on personal responsibility.

A curfew and limits on gatherings were lifted after riots broke out in March.

Since the start of the pandemic over 48,000 cases have been counted in Senegal with over 1,200 deaths.

The ministry also announced the arrival of some 500,000 vaccine doses before the end of the month, hoping to end the current shortage.