-as 10 laboratory technicians confirmed positive
Nearly two days after three laboratory technicians at the Referral Hospital in Harper City, Maryland County tested COVID-19 positive, an additional seven (7) lab technicians have contracted the virus, bringing the number of fresh cases in the county to 10.
Currently, Maryland County has 12 confirmed cases, two suspected cases and 50 contacts. Addressing a news conference Tuesday, July 7, 2020, County Health Officer, Dr. Methodius George said the additional seven cases all laboratory technicians are as a result of interaction with previous three lab technicians, who tested positive of the COVID-19 on July 2.
According to him, though the county health team is doing extremely well in providing awareness to citizens, it has been noticed that some citizens are not abiding by health measures being prescribed by the Ministry of Health in Monrovia, something which he said, may have been the cause for the increment of cases in the county. Dr. George added that the 10 affected lab technicians include two females and eight males, all residents of Harper City.
He said it was all observed doing a training session, when some laboratory technicians came from Monrovia on 28th June to train their colleagues on how to test COVID-19 specimen. He said after the training, the lab technicians were asked to voluntarily take one another’s specimen as a demonstration of the acknowledge acquired from the training and when the specimens were taken and sent to Monrovia, results of the first three technicians came positive on July 2, 2020, followed by the remaining seven, who were quarantined on Sunday, July 5th.
He said although the source of the COVID-19 in the county is yet to be identified, but cautioned citizens that the virus is within their communities, and that no want is free until he/she is tested negative.
“As you all know, our first case has recovered and we have gone about 35-36 days but we are still thinking where the source of this virus came from”, he noted. He added that despite the unfortunate situation measures are being strengthened to prevent patients and healthcare workers from further getting infected.
“We are encouraging all our patients to wear masks and observe social distancing whenever they are coming to hospital.” The CHO however called on citizens in the county to always visit the hospital because COVID-19 is not the only sickness.
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By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County–Editing by Jonathan Browne
