COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal

On 2 March 2020, a 54-year-old man from France was the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Senegal,[8] living in the Almadies Arrondissement of Dakar, having been tested positive at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar.[8] He had travelled on Air Senegal on 29 February 2020.[8] Senegal became the second Sub-Saharan country to report confirmed cases after Nigeria.[9] The second confirmed case of COVID-19 was a French expat who came to Dakar from France. They are quoted as being in a "comfortable" condition.[10]

By 4 March, the number of cases rose to four, with both cases being foreign nationals.[11] The first case was the wife of the first case in Senegal, who arrived in the country on 19 February. The other case was a Briton from London, who came to Senegal on 24 February.[12]

Basketball Africa League postponed the start of their inaugural season on 6 March 2020, which would have taken place in Dakar.[13] This came as fear mounted over religious events and travel, especially those related to the Grand Magal, a Mouride festivity which occurs in Touba.[14]

On 10 March, Senegalese Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr told local press that the government would call off religious events if advised to do so. On the same day, a Senegalese national returning from Italy confirmed positive, becoming the fifth case in the country.[15]

On 12 March, five more cases were announced in Senegal, which were family members of a confirmed case of the Senegalese national returning from Italy.[16] One of the victims was in the holy city of Touba, despite many people being convinced by clerics that they were immune to the coronavirus.[17]

As of 15 March, there were 24 confirmed cases in Senegal.[18] Senegal imposed travel restrictions, banned cruise ships, and closed schools for three weeks in response to the coronavirus. They also banned public gatherings for a month, including Muslim and Christian pilgrimages.[19]

On 23 March, Senegal declared a state of emergency.[20]

By the end of the month there had been 175 confirmed cases, 40 of whom recovered while 135 remained active cases at the end of the month.[21]

In April there were 758 new cases, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 933. The death toll was 9. The number of recovered patients increased to 334, leaving 590 active cases at the end of the month.[22]

Senegal experienced a 30% rise in COVID-19 infections on May 11[23] and eased restrictions on mosques and churches and relaxed the curfew on May 12.[23] Senegal has reported 1,886 coronavirus cases and 19 deaths.[23]

During May there were 2712 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 3645. The death toll rose to 42. The number of recovered patients increased to 1801, leaving 1802 active cases at the end of the month.[24]

There were 3148 new cases in June, bringing the total number of cases to 6793. The death toll rose to 112. The number of recovered patients increased to 4431, leaving 2250 active cases at the end of the month.[25]

In July there were 3439 new cases, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 10232. The death toll rose to 205. The number of recovered patients increased to 6776, leaving 3251 active cases at the end of the month.[26]

As cases continued to increase, reaching 11,003 (66% of those recovered) and 229 deaths on 8 August, Senegal's Minister of the Interior announced new restrictions including an emphasis on mandatory use of masks in closed spaces, a ban on gatherings at beaches, sports grounds, public spaces and theatres as well as prohibition of all demonstrations on the public highway, especially in the Dakar region.

Judd Devermont, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies praised Senegal's handling of the pandemic, second-best in the world (after New Zealand).[27]

There were 3,379 new cases in August, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 13,611. The death toll rose to 284. There were 3,888 active cases at the end of the month, representing an increase of 20% from the end of July.[28]

There were 1,108 new cases in September, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 14,919. The death toll rose to 309. The number of recovered patients increased to 12,231, leaving 2,379 active cases at the end of the month.[29]

There were 697 new cases in October, bringing the total number of confirmed cases 15,616. The death toll rose to 324. The number of recovered patients increased to 14,853, leaving 439 active cases at the end of the month.[30]

There were 491 new cases in November, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 16,107. The death toll rose to 333. The number of recovered patients increased to 15,627, leaving 147 active cases at the end of the month.[31]

There were 3,033 new cases in December, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 19,140. The death toll rose to 410. The number of recovered patients increased to 17,254, leaving 1,476 active cases at the end of the month.[32]

On January 9, 2021, Health Minister Ousseynou Badiane said Senegal does not have sufficient cold storage facilities for either the Pfizer–BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and the country is awaiting vaccines through the World Health Organization-backed COVAX.[33]

The death toll reached 480 on January 12.[34]

Police used tear gas to break up a demonstration in Ngor, Dakar after President Macky Sall declared a 9 p.m.–5 a.m. curfew in Dakar and Thiès Region. Other demonstrations took place in Medina and Yoff areas and suburban Pikine, Guédiawaye, and Thiaroye.[35]

A first case of the B.1.1.7 variant was detected on 28 January.[36]

There were 7,787 new cases in January, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 26,927. The death toll rose to 638. The number of recovered patients increased to 22,145, leaving 4,144 active cases at the end of the month.[37]