Ebola kills police commander, 8 officers quarantined

Report from Nimba County says a deputy police commander has died of the Ebola Virus Disease, while eight other officers are being quarantined in Saclepea, central Nimba. The eight police officers are said to have come in contact with the late Deputy Commander Charles Scott, who was assigned in Saclepea.

The NewDawn Nimba correspondent says the late Charles Scott was deputy commander for the Women and Children department of the Liberia National Police in Saclepea. Prior to his death, Commander Charles Scott had visited Ganta, according to report. The head of the Nimba County Health Team, Dr. Collins Bowah, said the late Commander Charles Scott died of a very high fever and was thus suspected to have contracted the Ebola virus.

The Ebola epidemic has affected other security agencies here besides the police. In Monrovia, a segment of the police barracks on Camp Johnson Road was quarantined few months ago after several police officers reportedly got infected.

About three months ago, an elite Presidential security unit, the Executive Protective Services or EPS, sent several agents home after they showed signs of the virus, while the Armed Forces of Liberia recently held a memorial service in Monrovia for seven soldiers, who died of Ebola.

Meanwhile, health authorities in Nimba have reported over 200 deaths from suspected, probable and confirmed cases, with Ganta recording the highest death toll in the county since the outbreak of the virus early March.

Pastor demands report from Ebola team

The head Pastor for the Pan African Christian Church in Ganta, Nimba County, Rev. Jones Kpaleh, is demanding laboratory test result from the Ganta Ebola Treatment Unit for the death of one of his Church members, the late Ruben Dahn, who reportedly died from the Ebola virus. Prior to his death, the late Ruben Dahn had claimed that he had cure for the Ebola Virus Disease that could heal infected persons.

Pastor Kpaleh told The NewDawn correspondent in Nimba that since Ruben’s death in September, the Nimba County health team is yet to produce laboratory result to confirm whether he died from the virus. Pastor Kpaleh expressed disbelief that Ruben died of Ebola, describing the victim’s death as circumstantial.

He said there is a need for the county health team and the Ganta Ebola taskforce to convince the public that Ruben actually died from the virus. The pastor noted that his statement is predicated on the fact that none of the family members, who came in contact with the late Ruben Dahn has shown symptoms of Ebola despite its contagious nature.  When contacted, a member of the Ganta Ebola Task Force, Rev. Eleazer Gbengan, said he has no comment on the matter.