Sierra Leone Telegraph: 20 April 2020:
Sierra Leone’s president Julius Maada Bio has this afternoon made a snap public broadcast on television to inform the public that one of his bodyguards has tested positive with COVID-19, and has been in an isolation centre.
His announcement comes after growing speculation that a senior government minister as well as two members of the president’s household, including a child and a nanny are being treated for the virus. This story was reported in the Sierra Leone Telegraph last weekend, but was denied by State House officials.
Although the president said that members of his family are well, this has not dampened speculations either, after unconfirmed report from medial sources disclosed that a member of the Bio family, a nanny and a government minister are receiving private treatment.
In the last hour, BBC reporter – Umaru Fofanah said: “Sierra Leone’s president, Julius Maada Bio is to go into a 14-day self-isolation after one of his bodyguards tested positive for Covid19. In an address to the nation, he said the bodyguard had been in quarantine and eventually tested positive for the disease but that no member of his family was showing any symptoms of the disease. His spokesman, Keketorma Sandy told me that the president would be working from home.”
Responding to this breaking news, the editor of the Awareness Times told the Sierra Leone Telegraph: “His Excellency President of Sierra Leone is to be highly commended for being transparent as he reveals that one of his family’s close protection bodyguards is infected with Covid-19 coronavirus after the security was quarantined for 14 days.
“His Excellency has however stopped short of stating why was the security quarantined in the first place? Essentially, who was the infected contact that necessitated for the First Family’s security guard to be quarantined for 14 days?
“Secondly, there is also no clarity as to whether the said security was one of those assigned to guard the EACON residence complex at IMATT said to be occupied by the children of the First Family. Also, how many security guards of the First Family have been quarantined? There have been so much speculations.
“However, a press conference is expected tomorrow where it is expected the commendable transparency shown by His Excellency will be taken to the next level with answers to the above burning questions from citizens of Sierra Leone.”
This breaking story comes as Sierra Leone today recorded 8 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 43, after six people who successfully completed their treatment at the military hospital in Freetown, were declared free of the virus and discharged yesterday.
There are 37 confirmed cases in isolation centres where they are kept under observation, but are in stable condition; and a further 567 kept in quarantine – the ministry of health reports today.
Following calls for the government to partially disclose the identity of those confirmed as COVID-19 positive, it is now hoped that the president having declared that his bodyguard has the virus, could help remove stigmatisation of confirmed cases.
Will the President and his Administration increase Health Care spending when all this is over? Coronavirus has exposed how bad and disgusting our Health Care System is. With only one Ventilator in the entire country, when this crisis started. Can you imagine? What an appalling and regrettable situation for a country, known for the best gems from KONO CITY in the world. We use to hear in the past, that the President, the First Lady, family members or one of his Ministers been flown overseas for treatment. Sometimes, they even don’t bother to announce it.
But with Coronavirus, no way. Anyone who catches Coronavirus, has to be treated in Sierra Leone. Whether you are the President of Sierra Leone or not, doesn’t matter. All Sierra Leoneans are equal before Coronavirus. So, if you have a disgusting Medical Service, you get a disgusting Health Care when you fall ill. Thanking President Bio for telling the nation, his bodyguard has been tested positive and he is going into isolation, does not make sense.
We have clear guidelines concerning Coronavirus, which every Sierra Leonean must abide by. That was what President Bio did. In fact, you can’t hide anything with Coronavirus. When anyone is infected and become ill, Coronavirus will speak for itself. Things like continuous coughing and high temperatures will manifest; which will lead to a deadly outcome if you don’t seek a timely medical attention. God help Sierra Leone get the Ultra modern medical diagnostics five star hospital promised by President Bio.
In the solemnity of the performance of the President’s duty, the First Lady should have scant presence. But others have said that this First Lady need appropriate briefing to desist from being co-President of Sierra Leone; too many hands spoil the broth or too many legs spoil the brothel whichever way, spoil is spoil.
It’s good to know that more information will be forthcoming in the next few hours. Whatever the case I hope the President stays healthy. If he has been infected I wish him a very speedy recovery. If ordinary citizens have been successfully treated locally I believe the President will be given even greater attention.
Thanks to the president after announcing that one of his bodyguards had tested positive for the corona and he is now in self-isolation. I pray for him in the name of Allah for negative result. God is the way, we should put Him first whatever we are doing. We should engage in prayers so that God will wipe away this corona disease from our mama salone. Thanks to the sierra Leone Telegraph for their reporting.
May the Almighty continue to protect our President and all the leaders of Africa including the citizens because as the proverb says “When two elephants are fighting,only the grasses will suffer.”
Speaking as a layman, the ongoing mud slinging or accusations between the western countries mainly the USA and China about the accidental chemical release of some dangerous chemicals in the atmosphere is definitely responsible for all the health and economic suffering we are going through and that’s the main reason they are accurately predicting how many innocent souls will perish within a particular period based on the path that we choose to follow before the invention of the vaccine.
Now it’s a race against time between the powerful nations of who will be the first benefactor in inventing this vaccine.
My humble prediction is after Africans have been ravaged by this deadly disease, we will be left with no choice but to beg them to use our citizens as guinea pigs as the French scientists boldly and honestly stated.
Let’s continue to hope and pray that the TRUTH will be revealed sooner or later..
Thanks HE for informing us about that.
Serious stuff. Have they traced all the Primary and Secondary contacts of the bodyguard and the President? If yes, they should all be quarantined. I asked this question a few weeks ago and will ask again – what happens if the President, the VP, the Chief Minister and the Speaker becomes infected with Coronavirus? God forbids. God protect Sierra Leone from the spread of Coronavirus.
In case the Präsident, Vice Präsident Chief Minister and Speaker become infected, they would be flown to China or Australia for treatment due to the fact that there is only one Ventilator in the Country. God save Sierra Leone from Covid-19. Amen
That was a good and transparent work done by His Excellency the President. But, the question here is why was the Bodyguard quarantined in the first place?