Liberia: Ebola Threat - S.D. Cooper Hospital Closed - 30 Quarantined

Monrovia — At one of Liberia's private hospitals, more than 30 persons are said to be quarantined after authorities say a woman who knew she had Ebola deliberately tried to infect the staff of the S.D. Cooper Hospital in Sinkor. Madam Amanda Blah who died early this month disguised herself and went to over three health facilities including Mawah, JFK and S.D. Cooper.

The death of Blah followed when her cousin named Steve Yadolo who died from the virus in the Bong Mines bridge community, but infected three persons, including Blah, his sister Marlene Yadolo, and brother Elijah Yadolo who are presently at an ETU in the country.

The late Yadolo was a hygienist in Sector 2 and came in contact with a suspect of the Ebola virus at the Island Clinic ETU. According to a source, the case of Blah came from an outbreak in Bong Mines Bridge where there was a missing contact. A source confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that Blah disguised herself and went to Mawah Clinic, where she changed her name and came in contact with several health workers.

The Mawah Clinic has a triage where patients are to be examined by health workers of a health facility. Blah also beat the JFK outer triage where there was no information on her following a trace by contact tracers of the Ministry of Health. At the inner triage at JFK, her temperature was 97.7 degree Fahrenheit and she allegedly bribed and got through the hospital with her a high temperature, but was later denied by health workers at JFK and she escaped the hospital and went to the S.D. Cooper hospital.

FPA source named Catherine Katter, Louise Mawolo and Amanda Blah as some of the names used by the late Blah. Upon her arrival at the S.D. Copper Hospital, our source said she was seen vomiting profusely, but was accepted by health workers who failed to conduct temperature check. Blah also beat the triage system at the S.D. Cooper hospital where there was no triage form for her upon an investigation done by tracers and was admitted into a private ward, but later moved to the general ward where she came in contact with several patients and health workers.

Furthermore, the late Blah while at the hospital first came in contact with two foreign doctors who are said to be out of Liberia due to the physical contact they had with her. During a doctor physical examination, it was established that the late Blah was pregnant.

FPA source said 33 health workers came in contact with Blah including two American doctors and 30 staffs of the S.D. Cooper hospital who are currently under observation at the S.D. Cooper Eye Clinic with the exception of one who is still on the run. The source said physician assistants, doctors and nurses are among those presently quarantined at the Hospital. Blah was admitted at the Chinese ETU before transferring to JFK, Mawah and S.D. Cooper.

At the Chinese ETU she also infected over five health workers who PPE'S were not in a good condition, but was later exposed to the virus following their contact with her. "The five are currently at the Chinese ETU undergoing observation and contact tracers are monitoring their pressure and all of them are A-Symptomatic," the source explained.

FrontPageAfrica has meanwhile gathered that contact tracers have established tha

established that the late Blah went to Bomi to her parents when she was diagnosed positive with the virus. Blah infected five persons and three of the five are at high risk while two are said to be low risk. The contact tracers said the five contacts were established following Blah's return to her Family home where she slept with three and was seriously ill.

Our source said Blah was previously denied by her father, but was accepted by her mother, which was unknown to her father. The mother of Blah and four others are said to be quarantined in the County. The S.D. Cooper is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Liberia. Some health pundits have described the act by the late Blah as deceitful and must not be encouraged in the country