By Mabinty M. Kamara
As the only country in the Mano River Union yet to record any case of the Coronavirus disease, Sierra Leone has taken major steps to keep the virus at bay.
On Monday President Julius Maada Bio imposed restrictions on overseas travel for government officials and banned public gatherings of more than 100 people. The move is part of a raft of new measures to prevent the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
In a bold move, the president has reached out to his political rivals to enlist the services of the team set up by his predecessor to coordinate the country's response to the 2014-Ebola epidemic.
Bio said the Ebola experience would be crucial to tackle the Coronavirus epidemic in the event it spills into the country.
The move comes two days after the Ministry of Health activated the Public Health Emergency Operation Center at Level 2, the second highest level of alertness. That move on Friday March 13 happened after neighboring Guinea recorded its first case of the novel virus. And on Monday Liberia confirmed its first case, a senior government official who was tested positive and was subsequently suspended from his office.
A statement issued by the Liberian government on Tuesday confirmed the country’s second case of the virus, someone linked to the index case.
Guinea so far is yet to record another case since the Belgian national was tested positive of the virus.
The Coronavirus Disease, which started in China last in December, has since spread to over 150 countries across the world.
According to the World Health Organization, as of 16th March there were 167, 515 confirmed cases globally with new confirmed cases of 13,903, and a total of 6,606 deaths, with 862 new deaths.
China, the origin of the virus which is also known as COVID-19, has recorded a total of 81,077 confirmed cases with 29 new cases and 3,218 deaths, with 14 new ones.
Other parts of the world, including Africa and the United States, have recorded a total of 86,338 confirmed cases with 13,874 new cases and 3,388 deaths with 848 new deaths.
On Monday President Bio was widely praised for his move to reach out to former officials who headed the country’s response to the Ebola epidemic. At that meeting at State House, Chief Minister, Professor David Francis, noted that the government had directed the use of the Ebola experience to strengthen the government’s Coronavirus preparedness.
Major (Rtd) Alfred Paolo Conteh, Former Defense Minister, served as Chief Executive Officer of the National Ebola Response Center (NERC). He said at the State House meeting that the President and his government were on the right path by bringing them on board to share their experiences. He said that the fight required everyone on board to avoid a repeat of the Ebola outbreak and assured that he was fully ready to serve in the interest of the country.
President Bio, in his statement, said that the footprint of the Coronavirus was uncomfortably closer, noting that Sierra Leone was the only country within the MRU (Mano River Union) without any case of the virus yet. He said that he wanted the country to use its experience from dealing with Ebola to mobilize every Sierra Leonean to be a fighter against the virus.
“We take the experience of the Ebola very seriously and we want to draw on your experience because this is a national duty. We have quite a lot to gain from your experience and we want you to be part of this effort to prevent this virus. We have done quite a lot with more to be done together,” he said.
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