Bundung Markaz sealed after a Tableeghi Jamaat member died from coronavirus 

The Ministry of Health has temporarily sealed the Bundung Markaz after a Tableeghi Jamaat member died from coronavirus. 

A Bangladeshi preacher, who was a member of a Tableeghi Jamaat sheltered at the mosque, died last Friday after testing positive for the virus. The 70-year-old preacher had recently entered the country from Senegal and had an underlying illness.

Health officials have quarantined 12 people who came in contact with the Bangladeshi preacher including three members of the Bangladeshi Jamaat and nine Gambian associates. 

Modou Njai, director of Health Promotion at the ministry said: “the incident manager and team visited Bundung Markaz immediately and the other 3 Bangladeshis national and 9 other associates are currently in quarantine.”

The health official said the mosque is currently closed until a deep cleaning and disinfecting have taken place before it is reopened. 

The Tableeghi Jamaat is a century old missionary movement whose band of preachers depend on the charity of mosques to shelter them. Bundung Markaz is the centre of Tableeghi Jamaat activity in The Gambia. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba