Monrovia – Barely five days after President George Weah appointed former Monrovia City Mayor Mary Broh to help resuscitate the government’s COVID-19 response, a high-profile security briefing was called to order.
Who Were in Attendance?
The meeting presided over by Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean – included representatives from the Ministry of National Defense, the National Security Agency(NSA), the Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA), the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, the National Security Advisor to the President; representatives from the Armed Forces of Liberia, the Executive Committee on Corona Virus (ECOC), headed by Broh and Senators Steven Zargo(Liberty Party, Lofa), Jonathan L. Kaipay(Liberty Party, Grand Bassa) and Conmany Wisseh(Unity Party, River Gee). Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe was also in attendance.
Senator Wesseh told FPA Monday that he along with Senators Zargo and Kaipay were in attendance in the April 11 meeting but only for 15 minutes. The Senator said he took his test Sunday and is still awaiting his results. Major General Prince Johnson, Chief of Staff of the Army, also confirmed to FPA that he too was in the meeting on April 11, but first tests have come back negative.
Johnson told FPA Monday the testing “was based on the death of Mr. Marcus Soko, head of the Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA) and those of us that attended the meeting decided to do the tests yesterday(Sunday).”
An eyewitness who was present said many of those in attendance at the April 11 meeting did not wear facemasks or protective gears.
Trail of Infections
Over the last 72 hours at least four officials who were present in that meeting, held on April 11, tested positive for the killer virus.
It all started last Thursday with the death of DEA boss Soko, who had been symptomatic and ailing for nearly a week at his home, until he was rushed to the 14th Military Hospital late last Thursday night where he was pronounced dead.
When Soko’s symptoms began to worsen, he reportedly contacted his deputy, Marcus Zeahyoue and Col. Marvin Sackor, Deputy Inspector General of Police for Operations, who escorted him. Col. Sackor reportedly drove a separate police vehicle, escorting Soko and his deputy to the 14 Military Hospital. But Soko, would not make it and was already dead before they made it to the hospital.
So far, COVID-19 has been very efficient in its transmissibility, even more so in enclosed spaces but in a nation marred by so much denial and swirling in secrecy, the virus has proven to be like a pregnancy, coming to light only when one begins showing signs. In the case of Soko, his came, a little too late.
FPA has also learned that in the aftermath of Soko’s death, authorities are tracking a clinic in the Soul Clinic area visited by the late DEA boss, days before his death in hopes of finding contacts who may have come in touch with him.
Late Sunday night, Justice Minister Dean, who presided over the April 11 meeting was tested positive for the virus.
The minister broke the news to FPA via his mobile phone from the 14 Military Hospital, stating that he had been informed by Dr. Mosoko Fallah, head of the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) that his results came back positive. “I am hopeful. The doctors at 14 Military Hospital are very professional and doing their best,” Minister Dean told FPA. “Remember, the virus is posing a challenge to even developed countries, with far more sophisticated health systems. At the moment, no one knows everything about the virus. We must continue to observe the health protocols, especially as it relates to social distancing.”
Since Minister Dean’s positive result, a senior official of the LNP, 101, Sadatu Reeves, who was also in attendance in the meeting presided over by Dean, had test results come back positive for the virus. Soko’s deputy, Zeahyoue has also tested positive while Col. Sackor, who escorted Soko to the hospital is said to be in quarantine awaiting his results.
The wave of infections tied to that April 11 meeting intricates the far-reaching depth of Mr. Soko’s cluster within the joint security apparatus. If Minister Dean, who is the chief legal advisor to the presidency has tested positive, who else is at risk?
FrontPageAfrica has learned that with the exception of Dean, the late Soko, Reeves and Zeahyoue, results of the first test on most of the others who were in attendance have come back negative. One medical official however said, a second test is being carried out before a complete evaluation can be announced.
As head of the Joint Security briefing, the minister is required to brief the President on the security situation in the country.
A Nation Swirling in Denials, Conspiracies
So far, COVID-19 has been very efficient in its transmissibility, even more so in enclosed spaces but in a nation marred by so much denial and swirling in secrecy, the virus has proven to be like a pregnancy, coming to light only when one begins showing signs. In the case of Soko, his came, a little too late.
Amid the surge in new cases, the denials appear to have been dealt a reality check with the high-profile death of DEA head, Soko and now the infection of Justice Minister Dean and senior members of the LNP. But even amid jittery within the corridors of the Liberian government – and some sections of the population, many remain entrapped in a circle of uncertainty fueled by conspiracy theories surrounding the COVID-19 being in Liberia and the authenticity of the testing and treatment process.
Although authorities say they have the capabilities to test close to 300 Liberians daily, many are still in denial, insinuating that the virus is not in Monrovia and those declared positives so far are working with the government to get money from the international community.
FrontPageAfrica has learned that Madam Broh is planning to open another testing center in the next few days, in addition to the one at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex. The aim is to make testing for the virus accessible to more people.
Herein lies an irony of immense complications regarding the most pressing matter of social distancing. Why did the security apparatus gather in such a close-knit space when the President himself had been urging Liberians to exercise caution, by following the COVID-19 prevention protocol?
“We can defeat this virus if we all commit ourselves to respecting all the measures that have been outlined. If we are undisciplined, we will be the cause for it to spread. But if we behave properly, and observe all regulations and health measures, we can also be the cure that will stop Corona in our country,” the President said in a speech to the nation on April 8, 2020, just three days before the joint security briefing.
4 New Deaths Amid Jitters and Fears
The President acknowledged that the disease had overwhelmed more advanced health care systems in many countries and has brought the economies of several developed nations almost to a complete halt. “The sad reality of millions of victims and thousands of deaths around the world should give all of us cause to pause and think about what we must do collectively to protect ourselves from this dreadful pestilence. The horrific scenarios that are beginning to emerge should serve as sufficient warning for every one of us to spring into action.”
Two committees, a Special Presidential Advisory Committee on Coronavirus (SPACOC) was established two months ago and the Executive Committee on Corona Virus (ECOC), headed by Broh.
The joint security team is a key component in the government’s response as the administration has realized that the dynamics of its management of the disease have been significantly changed and will require much stronger additional measures to delay the spreading of this highly infectious virus and keep the public safe.
In fact, the President, in his speech, ordered the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia and the Chairman of the National Joint Security to enforce the stay-home policy and 6am to 3pm curfew, which came into effect, April 8, 2020.
The President has said that during this period, residents may leave home only for essential journeys for reasons of health and food, which should be restricted to local community only, and be limited to a single person per household for a maximum of one hour.
As the government clamps down on curbing further spread, the number of infected continues to rise. The latest as of Monday, puts the total number of infected to 133, including four new deaths, raising the total deaths to 16, and nine new confirmed cases while 676 contacts are being followed.
Liberia’s death rate is at 12% as of 26 April 2020 compared to Italy’s death rate to date is 13.48%; UK is 13.56%; France is 14%; and Spain 10% while the US is 5.6%. For a country, lacking proper infrastructure, experts say, the death rate, so early in our cycle, should be alarming to all.
Amid the surge, the denials appear to have been dealt a reality check with the high-profile death of Soko and now the infection of Justice Minister Dean and senior members of the LNP. But even amid jittery within the corridors of the Liberian government – and some sections of the population, many remain entrapped in a circle of uncertainty fueled by conspiracy theories surrounding the COVID-19 being in Liberia and the authenticity of the testing and treatment process.
Lessons Learned? Many Not So Sure
For the immediate future, medical experts say, the rise in the number of community deaths suggests more sick people are in the communities undetected, ramping up the need to conduct more testing on suspected and probable cases.
Sadly, just as it was during the early stages of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak of 2014, it appears many may be waiting for bodies to start dropping like flies in the streets before reality hits.
Mr. Tolbert Nyenswah, former head of the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL), currently a Senior Research Associate and Expert with the International Health Department, Bloomberg School of Public Health at the Johns Hopkins University, says Increasing the number of tests per day may give the real infections rates which is why testing is crucial. “Test, test, test, contacts tracing, contacts, contacts tracing, remove the sick and isolate them requires creating more bed spaces. Liberia need 1000 treatment beds space by now.”
Whether it is a case of Fact of Fiction? Truth or Dare, the Weah-led government may be in a race against time – and probably running out of options in trying to convince an antsy nation still in doubt, even amid all the painful images from around the world showing the damage the virus is causing.
Sadly, just as it was during the early stages of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak of 2014, it appears many may be waiting for bodies to start dropping like flies in the streets before reality hits.
For now, though many in the hierarchy of the government’s security apparatus appear to be on edge over the unexpected and drowning in a sea of what-ifs, regarding the breach of the social distancing protocol on April 11, perhaps wondering whether a conference call would have done the trick or perhaps prevented the COVID-19 from hitting the nerve center of the government’s security apparatus.
