In Senegal, a mysterious disease is raising dust in Dakar

Concern has taken hold in Senegal, particularly in the Dakar suburb of Thiaroye, where a mysterious illness is causing severe damage. The health authorities are on alert.

The situation is becoming worrying in Thiaroye-sur-Mer following a disease’s appearance, such as dermatosis, in fishers who have returned from the high seas.

While nearly eighty fishermen were initially affected in less than two days, the number rose to almost two hundred infected fishermen.

The disease symptoms are rather worrying: pimples on the face, arms, lips, and even on the private parts. The situation is very worrying, all the more so as on Tuesday, the first 80 contaminations were counted before this figure climbs to two hundred on Wednesday.

According to initial information, some of the infected fishermen are from Thiaroye, others from inland localities such as Mbour and Joal.

Senegalese health authorities have set up a crisis committee to deal with the situation. The affected fishermen have interned at the Maison de la femme in Thiaroye-sur-Mer, while waiting to learn more about this mysterious disease, notably with samples taken from patients and the waters of Thiaroye.

For his part, the governor of the Dakar region, Al Hassane Sall, who visited the scene, said he did not rule out the possibility of other cases in other regions of Senegal, adding that fishermen are prohibited from going to sea until further notice.