Ebola patients transferred to JFK

At least two patients suspected to have contracted the Ebola virus were on Sunday, March 23 transferred from neighboring Guinea to Liberia, specifically in Nimba County.

The NewDawn Nimba Correspondent says the patients along with additional three individuals shot by gunmen in Guinea were transferred to the Ganta United Methodist Hospital in Ganta City, Nimba. But all of the patients, including the suspected Ebola victims have since been transferred to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia.

Dr. Plaude Monga told reporters at the Ganta United Methodist Hospital that the patients have been transferred to the JFK in Monrovia. Dr. Monga confirmed that three persons shot by gunmen in Guinea were brought to the Ganta hospital and subsequently transferred to the Liberian capital along with the Ebola patients.

Prior to this report by the United Methodist Hospital, the County Chief Medical Doctor, Lawrence Cooper, told members of the Nimba Legislative Caucus that on a daily basis, they received patients from neighboring Ivory Coast and Guinea.

Dr. Cooper said he has, however, told all health workers in the county to transfer all Ebola patients to JFK, because there is no area to keep such patients at the hospital in Nimba. He said over the past 50 years, the hospital in Nimba has called for relocation, but to no avail, thus, calling on government to do a quick impact project to host patients.

Dr. Cooper said there have been challenges in keeping patients while awaiting medical doctors. In Ganta, health workers were told to dress in their medical outfits. This latest report comes a day after health authorities in Monrovia reported that the virus has killed at least five patients in Zorzor, Lofa County out of six that were reported.