Amidst increase of new cases of COVID-19 in Maryland County, Superintendent George A. Prowd has called for compulsory nose masks wearing in public by citizens of the county. The call followed five coronavirus cases reported in Maryland.
Addressing a news conference Friday, July 3, in the county, Superintendent Prowd said the compulsory nose mask wearing is aimed at reducing spread of the virus among the population.
He said beginning today, Monday, July 6, movement of citizens within the county would be monitored seriously.
“If you are traveling out of the county and you get at the check points and you are not wearing nose and face masks, you with be sent back. The restrictions will also be extended to the general markets, into the public streets, so we are asking our citizens to kindly pay heed. The cases are increasing and we need our citizens to be more respectful to the health protocols and the security measures in this region and we want citizens to cooperate”, Superintendent Prowd stressed.
Asked why the 6pm curfew is not being observed properly in the county, he said citizens shouldn’t always not always adapt the culture of being policed before they abide by pronouncements.
“If the government says this, we all need to follow it; we need not to be policed before abiding by measures that are for our own safety, but if citizens want it that way, than the police will be properly implementing the stay home order”, Superintendent Prowd added.
Three laboratory technicians at the JJ Dossen Memorial Hospital in Harper City have tested positive of COVID-19.
County Health Officer, Dr. Methodius George said the three laboratory technicians were confirmed of the virus following a training session in the county.
Dr. George explained that after the training, staffers at the hospital on June 27, 2020, were asked to take one another’s specimens for testing in Monrovia and as a result of the tests, three among a total of nine laboratory technicians were confirmed positive by the National Referral Laboratory on June 2, 2020.
The remaining six laboratory technicians are currently undergoing quarantine following the pronouncement that three of their colleagues have contracted the virus. He said the County Health Teams are working alone with local authorities to renovate the Gbolobo Health Center to serve as new precautionary observation center (POC) for suspected cases.
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However, County Health Officer George called on citizens or residents of those communities were the laboratory technicians live to observe all health protocols being prescribed by the Ministry of Health.
He stressed that the hospital has dispatched its surveillance team to do contact tracing in Harper City and other areas. Currently, Maryland County has five confirmed COVID-19 cases, including one death, one recovery and three active cases. Editing by Jonathan Browne
