By Amin Kef Sesay
It is now certain that President Julius Maada Bio has gone into a 14-day self-isolation after one of his bodyguards tested positive for Covid 19. In a brief address to the nation on 20th April 2020, he said the bodyguard had been in quarantine and eventually tested positive for the disease further highlighting how no member of his family is showing any symptoms of the disease.
“The EOC is testing all contacts of one of my security staff who had been in a14-day quarantine and has tested positive for #COVIDー19. My Government will continue to be transparent and urges citizens to protect themselves by following all hygiene and other protocols,” the President posted on Twitter.
“I have directed the military to immediately deploy to our international airport and land crossing points in order to enhance security and support compliance with all public health directives advisories,” he further told the nation.
Now that he has gone into self-isolation, the President is working from home.
Although the bodyguard of President Julius Maada Bio has tested positive for coronavirus, however, the President says he is in good health. He reiterated that all his family members are in good health and none had shown coronavirus symptoms.
Sierra Leone has to date confirmed 61 coronavirus cases with six recoveries and no deaths. April 22 is the 8th consecutive day Sierra Leone recorded 11 new cases.
With regards latest statistics : Western Urban has 43 Cases, Western Rural 8 cases, Tonkolili 1 case, Port Loko 6 cases and Kenema 3 totalling 61 overall infected cases. In terms of sex it is recorded that there are 33 female affected cases and 28 male affected cases.
President Maada Bio becomes the second known African leader to self-isolate, the first being Botswana President, Eric Masisi, who self-isolated after attending an inauguration ceremony in Namibia at the time his country was uninfected while Namibia had recorded three cases.
A number of African Presidents have also confirmed taking the tests with all of them having tested negative. South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Ghana’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari have all tested negative.
