By Christophe Van Der Perre
TOUBA, Senegal, May 11 (Reuters) - Senegal's holy city of
Touba is fighting a second wave of COVID-19 infections, dashing
hopes that swift action by authorities had stopped the new
coronavirus from spreading in the one-time epicentre.
Confirmed cases in Touba have risen seven-fold to more than
190 since a market trader fell ill in April, ending a two-week
lull in new cases. Now, as other countries in West Africa,
including Nigeria and Ghana, are beginning to ease lockdowns to
assist those whose livelihoods were disrupted, Senegal is
tightening restrictions to try to contain the outbreak.
A cluster of cases in Touba in March prompted President
Macky Sall to close schools and ban religious gatherings, one of
the first leaders in sub-Saharan Africa to do so. A Senegalese
man returning from Italy had infected 17 others, including his
2-year-old child, just weeks before Senegal's second city was
due to host thousands of pilgrims at a religious festival.
Touba is the headquarters of a powerful Sufi Muslim
brotherhood and known to some as "little Mecca".
Its Grand Mosque, whose white minarets tower over the city
of 1.5 million people, was ordered to close its doors. A
dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed and public awareness campaigns
launched.
But despite these efforts, the city confirmed its 27th case
on April 11 - the first since March 26. The man had not
travelled abroad or come into contact with other known patients,
a worrying development suggesting the disease had taken root.
The number of cases in Touba has climbed steadily since then
despite the intervention of the army, which is testing for
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus,
at a makeshift field hospital and decontaminating streets and
markets.
"Perhaps it's ignorance or even some denial of the disease,"
said Sylla Mbacke, head doctor at Touba's main health centre,
Darou Marnane. "There are some that don't believe in it at all."
WORSHIPPERS TURNED AWAY
Touba appeared quieter than usual during a recent visit by
Reuters, but despite government guidelines only a few people
were wearing masks in the streets. Some sought entry to the
mosque for Friday prayers but were turned away.
Mbacke's centre is coping with the caseload, thanks in part
to the army, which is helping to treat non-coronavirus patients.
But with no ventilators or intensive care beds, it could
quickly become overwhelmed.
The World Health Organization has warned that Africa could
become the next epicentre of the virus. Senegal, which has recorded more than 1,700 cases and 19
deaths, last week ordered markets to close on certain days,
while supermarkets must limit customer numbers.
At Touba's main market, ground zero for the second wave of
cases, trader Abdoulaye Diagne said the new restrictions were
making life difficult. The market must now close at 3 p.m.,
making it harder to earn a living, and residents are unable to
gather to break their daily fast during the sacred month of
Ramadan.
"What can be done apart from pray for this disease to leave
the planet," he said, as he packed up the plastic cups he had
been selling to go home.