The Informer (Monrovia)
Roland Perry
11 September 2009
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has suspected a British expatriate working for the Buchanan Renewable (BR) of carrying the Influenza A (H1N1) virus in Grand Bassa Country, and has since been treated with a five-day course of TAMIFLU in Britain, from August 3 to 7th, 2009.
Disclosing the information in Monrovia Thursday, during the Ministry of Information weekly press briefing, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Walter Gwenigale said, the 36-year-old British national contracted the influenza A (H1N1) last August, when he traveled to Britain, and took his ill wife to the clinic where she was diagnosed with the virus.
Dr. Gwenigale added that on September 7, 2009, seven additional staffs were also presented with influenza-like symptoms, after a gathering of Buchanan Renewable staff on Sunday September 6, 2009.
He continued that on the 8th of September, the Grand Bassa County Health team was alerted by a nurse at the BR clinic that an expatriate was ill and was not improving after taking medication.
According to the Minister, the nurse also informed the team that both the expatriates and local staff who had developed influenza-like illness (ILI) on the same day were given antibiotics.
He further disclosed the Ministry of Health and Social welfare has since dispatched a response team comprising of members from the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR), Epidemiology Units, and the National Reference Laboratory to support the county health Team to carry out further investigation.
Dr. Gwenigale informed newsmen that samples of the diagnosed cases have been taken to Ghana for laboratory confirmation. He said suspected cases isolated in Liberia and are given TAMIFLU and are being monitored at home.
He said the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is however advising the public to seek advice and treatment at clinics when they develop flu-like symptoms such as fever and cough, running nose, sneezing, sore throat, chest pain or strange cold.
He also warned the public to desist from sharking hands and reminder them to cover their nose and mouth whenever they sneeze or cough.
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