The Minister of Health and Sanitation has confirmed that Sierra Leone has registered its second Covid-19 positive case. This brings the total number of positive cases to two.
Dr. Alpha Wurie says this new case has no linkage with the index case reported yesterday.
The victim is Dr. Nellie Bell, of the Aspen Hospital in Freetown . Urgent efforts to trace her contacts have started.
Highlights from the Emergency Press briefing on 1st April 2020
Main points
• 2nd confirmed case independent from the 1st case.
• 1st case – estimated that 130 contacts linked to 1st case.
• 43 primary contacts traced, 8 tested and all negative.
* An ongoing process. 3 contacts already travelled to Kenema and Kono.
• From Thursday 4th April, anyone arriving in Sierra Leone via boat or land from Guinea and Liberia will be held in custody for not less than 14 days.
• Short lockdown starting from 6am Sunday 5th April to 11.59pm on Tuesday 7th April.
*Advice to the public*
• If community transmission has started, safety measures will be made more stringent
• Avoid crowded areas
• Practice social distancing
• Handwashing
*Transportation*
• All vehicles limited to the barest minimum
• Taxis – 2 at the back and 1 in the front
• Kekeh – limited to 2 passengers
• Poda-Poda/Buses/Mini-buses – no standing allowed, no passengers in middle seats
• All vehicles should have sanitizers for their passengers
• Ferries & boats – only the barest minimum of passengers and vehicles allowed on boats and ferries. Social distancing should be practiced and enforced on ferries.
• Short lockdown from
*Traditional and religious practices*
• Traditional societies are encouraged to be hygiene-
*sensitive*
• Secret societies are banned until further notice
• Religious houses should not be operational until further notice
• Funerals – restricted to family members of not more than 20 people.
• Weddings – limited to immediate family
• Burials – the practice of washing bodies is discouraged until the scientists can confirm whether the virus can be transmitted from corpses or not.
*Markets*
• Lumas – banned until further notice as they attract large crowds.
• Shops & supermarkets should all have handwashing facilities and practice social distancing.
*Entertainment*
• Clubs and bars can be opened from 7am-7pm and must enforce social distancing
• Restaurants can stay opened from 7am – 9pm. Social distancing and handwashing are encouraged.
• Beaches – all beaches closed for mass entertainment including mass jogging.
• Sporting activities – sports, video centres showing matches are all banned until further notice
*Lockdown*
• 6am on Sunday 5th – 11.59pm on Tuesday 7th April
• No movements outside of homes except for essential services, which include health personnel, members of the security forces and designated number of journalists who will be given passes.
*Ventilators and Testing Kits*
• 3 ventilators in-country at Choithram’s Hospital
• The govt has procured 8 more ventilators but not yet arrived
• AU will be donating 11 additional ventilators
• Govt intends to procure up to 50 more ventilators
• Only critical cases will be put on ventilators
• Jack Ma’s 20,800 test kits are in country. Using approved methodology, these are sufficient for testing 4,000 persons
• 3,500 test kits expected from WAHO with 1,000 already in country.
From Wednesday 2nd April, all press conferences will be virtual!
