Monrovia – Contrary to reports that Dr. Nathaniel Blama slipped through the cracks and resisted quarantine, the National Public Health Institute (NPHIL) case history report says the first Liberian victim of the Coronavirus turned himself in for testing.
In its case history report, NPHIL stated that though Dr. Blama returned to Liberia from Switzerland on March 13, he began experiencing symptoms (fever and unproductive cough) started on March 14 and he sought over-the-counter medication on Sunday, March 15 at Lucky Pharmacy, 23rd Street in Sinkor.
According to NPHIL, he self-reported to the on March 15 at about 10:43 a.m. and a sample was collected and tested at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory.
“The positive test result was received at 3 am on 16th March 2020. This is the first confirmed to be reported in Liberia since the beginning of the pandemic in China in December 2019. Within 12hours, the case-patient had been isolated, contact identification, listing, and monitoring commenced, and National Public Health Emergency declared and WHO notified,” NPHIL report stated.
Meanwhile, NPHIL says it has documented 127 contacts, 23 high risks, and 104 low risks.
The National Public Health Institute also developed an outbreak case definition, surveillance surge team to commence active search and contact tracing and updated its standard operating procedure.
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