Ganta, Nimba County – The District Inspector for Tappita Statutory District in Lower Nimba County, David M. Toe, has disclosed to FrontPageAfrica that the first coronavirus case reported in the county involving a local journalist was not real.
Report by Franklin Doloquee, Contributor
“No coronavirus is in Tappita Statutory District, the doctor at the Jackson Fiah Doe Hospital gave misleading information to the public,” Toe said.
He argued the relatives of the journalist, Don Patrick, who were placed under quarantined would have been pronounced positive if he were truly positive for COVID-19.
The fight against COVID-19 in the Nimba, Liberia’s second most populous county which now has six confirmed cases, has been marred by denial and mistrust.
Hundreds of residents of Tappita over the weekend broken into the quarantine facility that was holding 12 patients under observation under the belief that there is no coronavirus in the county.
Marcus Nuah, a resident of the county said though the virus is in other countries killing people, the reports being given by health authorities in the county are controversial, thereby, not being accepted by residents of the county.
“Brother, you are a journalist following other international media including BBC, CNN and Aljazeera? The virus continues to kill people but our country Liberia story of the virus is unbelievable,” Nuah added.
Since the county announced cases from Tappita and Ganta, marketing activities have been going on with people selling drugs from Guinea in transparent buckets.
Of recent a woman believed to be in her early 50’s died at the Esther and Jereline Medical hospital as a result of hypertension as information on her death certificate indicates, but after a few days, the county health team went to the family declaring that the lady died of the virus; something that sparked up contention between the health team and the family members.
The family members said at no time were they informed that specimen from the deceased was taken for testing and there was no fact provided that their mother died of the virus.
Residents have expressed disappointment in the county health team and called for transparency in testing.
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