DAKAR, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Moustapha Guirassy, member of the Senegalese National Assembly confirmed on Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, which has marked the first public figure to have announced his contamination since the outbreak of the pandemic on March 2 in Senegal.

"Dear friends, I have just been diagnosed positive for #coronavirus. Immediately after I was informed, I went to the health authorities of the country who were kind enough to admit me into Diamniadio hospital," he wrote on his Facebook page.

The opposition parliament member also saluted all health workers for their remarkable and impressive work to fight against COVID-19.

Senegal entered a state of emergency from Monday midnight across its national territory with a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am the next day in order to raise the level of the response to the progression of COVID-19.

Last Sunday, Senegalese health minister Abdoulaye Sarr shouted out to the population that COVID-19 "is not a shameful infectious disease", in a bid to avoid people to stigmatize patients both cured and under treatment.

So far, Senegal has reported 79 cases of COVID-19. Eight patients have been declared cured by local health authorities. Among the 79 cases, 38 are imported cases. Enditem

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