By Bill W. Cooper
Health Minister Wilhelmina Jallah has cautioned lawmakers over the continuous use of a single microphone especially in plenary as well as in public places.
Dr. Jallah said without it being disinfected, the microphone poses serious health threat to the entire Liberian Senate amidst the coronavirus pandemic and the resurgence of the deadly Ebola epidemic in neighboring Guinea.
“Honorable senators, exchanging disinfected microphones by this body is unsafe and seriously unhealthy as well as very dangerous for this this body,” Dr. Jallah cautioned.
She made the disclosure when she appeared before that august body on yesterday to provide clarity on the prevailing health threats and resurgence of the Ebola Virus Disease which is said to be in the region.
Responding to a question from Montserrado County Senator, Abraham Darius Dillon, the Minister of Health explained that it will be prudent and necessary if the senators were to desist from using a single microphone or begin to apply some disinfectants such as alcohol and sanitizer before using it in order to avoid being affected from any transmitted disease.
She further advised that the senators to begin the compulsory wearing of face mask during sessions as a means of preventing the spread of the coronavirus stressing, “Although we are making some strides in controlling the virus; it will be important that senators and others while in session wear their face mask for prevention purposes.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Jallah has also clarified rumors that there is no confirmed case of Ebola in the country stating that the Ministry is currently monitoring a female who has come down with high fever and malaria after arriving from Guinea on Friday, February 12.
Jallah said a local clinic where the patient had gone for treatment raised the alarm because of her travel history from Nzerekore, Guinea where there are reports currently that up to at least 10 persons died due to Ebola.
She told members of the Liberian Senate on yesterday that the patient has undergone both corona and Ebola tests and that the results were expected later on yesterday while assuring that all the contacts traced so far were in isolation.
The minister stated among many things said that though the patient is showing symptoms of Corona, Ebola test was necessary owing to her recent travel from Guinea.
She described the situation as an alert, noting that the public will be given up-to-date information on every step to avoid the spread of false information.
Yesterday was the health minister second public statement on the current outbreak Ebola in neighboring Guinea calling on the public not to panic but to remain on high alert and take the necessary precaution.
There was news early yesterday that the first suspected case of Ebola came from Guinea a forth night ago and was currently at the Redemption Hospital awaiting lab work.
The public was alerted that Dr. Mohammed Swaray who treated the patient at the MEDICOVER Clinic in Soul Clinic is also in self isolation and the clinic is under surveillance awaiting the result from Redemption while the relatives of the patient were asked to remain in isolation until otherwise.
The patient had returned from Nzerkoure, one of the troubled spots in Guinea few days ago with high fever and running stomach and was on medication at another local clinic around the FDA Community in Paynesville for about three days before going to MEDICOVER Clinic.
But in a statement issued earlier by the Communication expert at the Ministry of Health, Chester Smith, on facebook, he also clarified that the information circulating about a confirmed EVD case in Liberia is false.
He admitted that the patient (26) was diagnosed of high fever and with a travel history over two weeks from Guinea, was undergoing several tests including COVID-19 test and that four others were being isolated in connection with the suspect.