Liberian Authorities Order School Closure To Check Ebola Spread

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Thursday, July 31st, 2014

In a bid to check its spread, the Liberian government has ordered the closure of the schools and endorsed quarantine of some communities.

This gesture is considered to be the toughest measures ever taken by any West African government since the outbreak of the deadly virus in the sub region.

Consequently, the Liberian security operatives have been directed to enforce the new measures which is part of action plan that also involved placing all non-essential government workers on 30-day compulsory leave.

“This is a major public health emergency. It’s fierce, deadly and many of our countrymen are dying and we need to act to stop the spread,” Lewis Brown, the Liberia’s Information Minister, told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Liberian President, Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said government was considering quarantining several communities based on the recommendation of the Health Ministry. This was disclosed in a statement posted on the Presidency’s website.

President Sirleaf assured that when measures became effective, only health care workers would be permitted to move in and outside the affected areas. She added that food and other medical support would be provided to those communities and affected individuals.

In the main time, the U.S. Peace Corps said it would withdraw over 300 volunteers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Similarly, Nigeria has begun screening of visitors at all her entering points, while Sierra Leone has begun quarantining of some communities and individuals believed to have been infected with 38 years old virus.

Ebola has killed over 600 out of 1000 cases globally in African countries such as: Liberia, neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone, according to World Health Organization (WHO). Nigeria recorded her first causality last Friday with the passing on of a 40 years old Liberian, Patrick Sawyer in Lagos.

The virus was first discovered in old Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo. It reportedly kills 90 per cent of its victims according to the physicians and among its symptoms include: malaria, high body temperature, vomiting and in some cases internal bleeding due to rupture of intestines.