DAKAR, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action on Friday reported 97 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 2,909 in the country.
Of the 97 new cases, 83 were follow-up contact cases and 14 community-transmission ones, ministry spokesperson Alyose Waly Diouf said, adding that 1,199 tests were conducted in the previous 24 hours.
Out of the 14 new community-transmission cases, 13 were detected in capital city Dakar, the epicenter of the pandemic in Senegal.
Sixty more patients have recovered, bringing the total to 1,311 since March 2, and 11 patients remain in intensive care units, he said.
Diouf also confirmed that the death toll related to COVID-19 has reached 33.
Among the 2,909 confirmed cases reported so far in Senegal, 2,567 are follow-up contact cases, 86 are imported ones and 256 community-transmission ones.
Senegal's state of health emergency will remain until June 2, with a curfew imposed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Like in many other countries in west Africa, wearing face masks is mandatory at all public places.
West Africa remains the region most affected by COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, with more than 27,000 cases reported since Feb. 27, when Nigeria reported its first confirmed case. More than 10,000 patients have recovered in the region. Enditem
