Africa
THE head of Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday was suspended for purposefully violating COVID-19 protocols and endangering public health, on orders from President George Weah.
EPA executive director Nathaniel Blama was the first person to test positive for the coronavirus in Liberia, three days after his return from a business trip to Switzerland.
“Blama had refused to undergo health screening upon his arrival at Roberts International Airport in the capital, Monrovia, on Friday, in spite of showing signs of illness,’’ the presidency said in a statement.
According to the statement, Health officials at the airport tried to usher Blama into an ambulance to be tested for the virus in a nearby hospital.
“He instead boarded his private car and went home, where he had contact with various family members and personnel.
“A domestic worker for Blama tested positive for the coronavirus, Liberia’s second case,’’ the acting head of the National Public Health Institute, Masoka Fallah, said.
Health authorities were in the process of tracing and testing all primary and secondary contacts of Blama.
Since reporting its first case on Monday, Liberia has imposed a temporary ban on non-citizens arriving from countries that have recorded 200 or more cases of the pandemic. (dpa/NAN)
– Mar. 17, 2020 @ 17:25 GMT |
Tags: Liberia suspends top official for violating COVID-19 protocols
