The Ministry of Health is conspicuously silent about a Lebanese multimillionaire businesswoman who allegedly escaped from the Golden Beach Hotel where she was under quarantine for the coronavirus.

Even the minister, Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, who promised to be transparent in dealing with the virus, has not uttered a word on the issue despite rumours.

The businesswoman fled the facility shortly after arriving from Europe, the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.

An insider at the ministry disclosed to What's On-Gambia: "There are conflicting reports about how she escaped. I heard the lady was at the Golden Beach Hotel but was allowed to leave because she had hypertensive urgency and was rushed to Medicare."

Another source revealed: "I was told she left the hotel after reaching an agreement with the ministry for her to be quarantined at Medicare. If that is true, then we should ask the ministry whether Medicare is an approved treatment centre for the coronavirus. Something is missing."

This outlet contacted the director of Health Promotion and Education, Modou Njie on the multimillionaire's escape, but he refused to reply to our message.