DAKAR, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Senegal on Friday reported 121 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the country to 2,310.
Of the 121 cases, 119 are follow-up contact cases and two community-transmission ones, Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, director-general of health at the Ministry of Health and Social Action, told a daily briefing on the pandemic.
According to her, 48 more patients have recovered, while six patients remain in intensive care across the country.
Two deaths were registered in the previous 24 hours, bringing the toll to 25 in Senegal, which reported the first confirmed case on March 2.
So far, 890 COVID-19 patients have recovered in Senegal.
Among the 2,310 confirmed cases reported so far, 2,027 have been follow-up contact cases, 86 imported ones and 197 community-transmission ones.
On Monday, President Macky Sall announced the easing of some of the COVID-19 restrictions, but said the government is preparing for the virus to circulate in the country "until August, or even September."
From Tuesday, the curfew hours, originally from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., were shortened to between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
All markets and other businesses were allowed to resume their normal opening hours, except one day per week when they have to be closed for disinfection and sanitizing.
Senegal has since March 20 suspended all international flights till at least May 31. President Sall extended the state of emergency and dusk-to-dawn curfew, which was declared on March 24, to June 2.
West Africa, now with more than 22,000 cases, has been the region most affected by COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, since Nigeria reported its first confirmed case on Feb. 27. Enditem
