Monrovia – Liberia’s death total from the deadly COVID-19 disease has reached 20, according to the latest Sitrep report from the National Public Health Institute(NPHIL).
Of that number, 14 of those deceased are men while six are women.
The report recorded four new confirmed cases on May 4, 2020 from 25 samples tested. Three of the new confirmed cases were reported from Montserrado County and one from Gbarpolu county.
At least Five case patients were discharged from the 14 Military Hospital on 4 May 2020 and a Cumulatively, 64 case patients have been discharged and reintegrated into their communities.
Since March 16 -May 4, 2020, a total of 1,316 suspected and probable cases have been reported across 12 counties. Of that number,, one hundred seventy (170) have been confirmed including 33 health workers
According to the report, Montserrado County remains the Epi center 156 (91.8%) of the confirmed cases including 15 (75%) deaths while the rest of the confirmed cases reported from Nimba County (6) including 3 deaths; Margibi (3) including one (1) death; Grand Kru (1), Sinoe (1), River Gee (1) Gbarpolu (1) and Mary Land (1). Liberia has begun the testing of community dead bodies of which 19 of the community deaths have tested positive for COVID-19. Due to prompt treatment at the treatment centers, Liberia recovery rate continues to improve at 38% as of 4 May 2020.
A total of 20 deaths (CFR-11.8%) in confirmed cases including two health workers have been recorded.
At least 95% of the reported deaths were community deaths that were swabbed by the surveillance system while 98.2% of confirmed cases are locally transmitted and 1.8% remains imported. The age range among confirmed cases is 1 month to 74 years with median age 42 years.
According to the report, a total of 2,266 contacts have been recorded; 56 (2.4%) have tested positive; 1,282 (56.6%) have completed 14 days follow up; while 840 (37%) remains under active follow-up with 96.8% seen in the last 24 hours.
A total of 88 high risk contacts remains under observation in precautionary observation centers in four counties
The risk of transmission remains very high largely due to high population movements in Montserrado as the county is home to approximately 1,500,000 (1/3) of the country total population while local transmission mainly from contacts of confirmed cases has accounted for about 98% of the cases.
President George Weah recently activated and empowered an Incidence Management System (IMS) to collaborate with partners to lead the COVID-19 response toward the eventual and speedy eradication of the virus from the country. The IMS Pillars include EPI Surveillance, Contact Tracing, Case Management, Laboratory, Infection Prevention and Control, Logistics & Supplies, Dead body Management, Case Investigation, Psychosocial, Risk Communication and WASH with similar structure at the County level.