By Korboi K. Gbelewala, Lofa County Correspondent
VOINJAMA, Aug. 16 (LINA) – Health authorities have commended the Lofa County Health Team (LCHT) and residents for adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures.
Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Francis Kateh said the LCHT and residents of the county have made significant progress in the fight against the deadly Coronavirus, which has resulted to a rapid decrease in the number of cases in the county.
Making the commendation in an interview via mobile phone on a local radio
popular talk show, « Good morning Lofa, » Dr. Keteh pointed out that in 2014-2015, Foya District and Lofa County at large was the epicenter of the Ebola Virus Disease, but due to the robust measures in the fight against the deadly disease in 2014-2015, it was defeated.
Dr. Kateh noted that with their experience in the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease, and adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures, the LCHT and residents of the county are again making significant progress in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that is worth commendation.
At the same time, Dr. Keteh has pointed out that Lofa County has many porous borders with neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone; hence the recent outbreak of the Marburg disease in neighboring Guinea which has the same signs and symptoms of Ebola must not be taken lightly.
The Liberian Chief Medical Officer, however, indicated that despite the fact that the LCHT in collaboration with other Liberian health authorities and partners has put in place testing and monitoring mechanisms at various border entry points, much needs to be done by both health authorities and the entire citizenry to contain further spread of the disease.
Dr. Kateh is also urging residents of Lofa County to help buttress government and partners’ efforts in keeping surveillance, as well as continuing to follow COVID-19 and Marburg preventive measures in order to stop the spread of these deadly diseases in Lofa County and Liberia at large.
Recently, health authorities in neighboring Guinea pronounced an outbreak of the Marburg disease in the city of Guekedou.
Marburg is a disease that has the same signs and symptoms of Ebola.
Meanwhile, the Lofa County Chief Medical Officer (CHO), Dr. John Doedeh, has disclosed that Lofa County has a single confirmed case of COVID 19 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital, with several contacts being traced.
This, according to Dr. John Doedeh, represents a significant decrease from the previous 28 COVID 19 confirmed cases, and a big boost to LofaCounty in the fight against the deadly COVID 19 pandemic.
Dr. Doedeh’s disclosure follows the recent pronouncement by Guinean health authorities about an outbreak of the Marburg disease in theGuinean Town of Guekedou.
