- Title: Senegal's COVID-19 surge forces difficult Eid al-Adha decisions
- Date: 20th July 2021
- Summary: DAKAR, SENEGAL (JULY 19, 2021) (REUTERS) A SHEEP STANDING MEXT TO A TREE PAINTED WITH SENEGAL'S FLAG PAPE GUEYE SITS WITH TWO FRIENDS OUTSIDE HIS APARTMENT VARIOUS OF GUEYE MIXING TEA IN SMALL GLASS CUPS (SOUNDBITE) (French) DAKAR RESIDENT PAPE GUEYE SAYING: "I know a lot of people who had it. Some of them got through it, and some of them died. Those who don't believe in it don't know it, but after what I felt and the people around me who had it, I will stay at home. I will put my mask on."
- Embargoed: 3rd August 2021 10:32
- Keywords: africa coronavirus dakar eid health holiday religion senegal tabaski
- Location: DAKAR, SENEGAL
- City: DAKAR, SENEGAL
- Country: Senegal
- Topics: Africa,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001EMN97BR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:With COVID-19 cases surging across Senegal, Pape Gueye made the difficult decision to spend the first Eid al-Adha of his life apart from his 88-year-old mother.
"I know a lot of people who had it. Some of them got through it, and some of them died. Those who don't believe in it don't know it, but after what I felt and the people around me who had it, I will stay at home. I will put my mask on," said Gueye, 43, mixing a cup of green tea as he sat with masked friends in front of his flat in the capital, Dakar.
On the whole, the West African country has been spared the levels of death and infection seen in other parts of the world, recording just 52,671 cases and 1,227 deaths during the pandemic, according to health ministry figures.
But cases have soared in the past week, threatening to overwhelm health services just as Senegalese prepare to gather in extended families for the year's most anticipated feast.
President Macky Sall threatened on Friday to close borders and impose a new state of emergency after the country broke its daily case record three times in a single week.
The day after Sall's declaration, that record doubled to over 1,350. The virus could have ample room to run with supply shortages meaning that just over 600,000 doses of vaccine have been administered to a population of around 16 million people.
But not everyone in Dakar was on the same page as Gueye on Monday. Parking lots and street corners were lined with buses, their roofs loaded with luggage and sacrificial sheep. Inside, few passengers wore masks.
Some people scoffed at the idea that the risk of COVID-19 could trump a holy event.
"We thank God. We are Muslims - no matter what the situation is, we give thanks. We are only afraid of God; we are not afraid of this disease. We know it is God who has brought down the disease, and if this pandemic is about to end, it will. And everyone will go back to their business. Life goes on," said Khadim Diop, who sold sheep along the highway to people traveling into the countryside to visit family over the holiday.
Others were more measured, yet steadfast in their desire to travel.
"We take our precautions. But After staying so long without seeing your family members, your mother or your children, even if the COVID-19 situation is complicated, you close your eyes and go, and put everything in God's hands because everything depends on Him. Everyone wonders if they will find the disease there or if he will take it from there back to Dakar. But we go there to see our families and friends that we haven't seen in 10 years, even though the disease exists," said Alhassane Sow.
Even as thousands of Dakarians made their way to the countryside on Monday, Gueye's resolve was firm. The risk, he thought, was just too high.
"I am embarrassed now, I don't know, I don't know how to handle it. Usually, what I used to do in Thiès, I don't know if I can continue it here. I have to stay here like my neighbors do. Since the pandemic is ravaging, I have to stay here. I can't go there. One of my parents is 88 years old, but I can't go there. I don't know if I'm sick. Even if I think I'm okay, I'd rather stay here," he said.
(Production: Cooper Inveen / Christophe Van Der Perre) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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