MOH To Declare Blama, Others Free Today

By R. Joyclyn Wea

Health authorities in Liberia have disclosed that the first three persons who came down with the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Country may be released today, Friday April 3, 2020 after completing eighteen days of intensive medical care.

Making the disclosure at the regular COVID-19 update held on Thursday, April 2, 2020 at the Ministry of Health in Congo Town, Dr. Francis Kateh, the Chief Medical Officer of Liberia said the first three COVID-19 patients would be discharged hopefully today April 3, 2020.

This, Dr. Kateh said this follows two separate tests conducted by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) that presented these three patients negative of the virus.

The three patients include suspended EPA boss, Nathaniel Blama, Johnny Philips and another patient, the first three Liberians who came down with the virus in early March of this year.

This disclosure by health authorities means that they are now free of the Coronavirus and can walk freely.

The patients, Dr. Kateh said when discharged will not be allowed to go into their various communities or homes so as to avoid mistakes during the Ebola Virus Disease where people who were discharged infected others.

He revealed that these individuals would be kept in an observation centers where they would be monitored for additional fourteen days and later taking to their homes for another seven days of observation.

At the same time, Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah has alarmed over the continuance mass gathering of people in the wake of health protocols put in place by the Ministry.

Dr. Jallah appealed to citizens to adjust to the current way of life and protect themselves and family as they are all Liberians living in the country and there is nowhere to hide should this get out of hand.

The Health Minister further appealed to the citizenry to do the right things in the best interest of the country and people saying “This is a next way of telling you to do it now; if not, when we get to the point where things change, we might not be able to figure it out.”