Montserrado has 2 Ebola cases

Amid reports of renewed Ebola cases in Margibi County, the Government of Liberia has clarified that there are only two confirmed cases in all 19 Ebola Treatment Units or ETUs in Montserrado County.

The authorities here have warned the public against raising false alarm about the resurfacing of the deadly Ebola outbreak in some parts of the country.

Government says the act of media institutions raising false alarm on the resurface of the Ebola virus does no good for the country, but only has the ability and tendency to destroy the achievement made thus far in eradicating the Ebola Virus Disease from Liberia.

Speaking Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at the Ministry Information’s daily press briefing, Acting Minister of Information, Attorney Isaac W. Jackson, said report about a resurface of the virus in Margibi County published by the InProfile Daily Newspaper is a rumor that has the ability to put fear in citizens.

According to him, there were only one confirmed and two suspected cases in Margibi contrary to the InProfile Daily’s account of four confirmed cases in that part of the country.
The Acting MICAT boss said the only confirmed case, which was in that county has been discharged after receiving proper treatment from health authorities.

“We are reporting 2 confirmed Ebola case in all of our 19 ETUs; why would others, who we expect to help this government in the fight to eradicate this virus from here will engage themselves into reporting unbalance story? If there is a need to get to zero then every citizen must work hard to achieving the zero case that we all expect in order to save this country”, he said.

Montserrado County, which has been one of the highly hit Ebola counties, is now experiencing significant drop in new cases, with Liberian Doctor, Jerry Brown of the ELWA Hospital, discharging scores of survivors at various treatment units.

Acting Minister Jackson stressed that for Liberia to get to zero cases as health authorities have set as benchmark, there is a need for community residents to stop the continuation of secret burials; stop touching sick people, and focus on the Ebola prevention measures prescribed by the Ministry of Health, saying, “We can’t sit and talk about eradicating the virus without following the Ebola protocol.”

By Lewis S. Teh