Liberian official with coronavirus suspended from work

The head of Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency Nathanial Blama has been suspended from work after becoming the first person in the country to test positive for coronavirus.

Liberia’s President George Weah said that Mr Blama had refused to be quarantined in line with mandatory health protocols.

Mr Blama, who recently returned from a trip to Switzerland where he likely contracted the virus, said he had complied with the health guidelines and accused the state of “misinforming the public”. 

Meanwhile, Liberia has suspended all school and university teaching for a week starting Tuesday as authorities continue to trace those who arrived in the country on the same flight as Mr Blama. 

The country has a frightening history with disease epidemics and many Liberians worry that if the coronavirus is not controlled it could result in a health crisis similar to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people in the region. 

Photo: EPA