MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Bush Chicken has learned that several students at the Living in Christ School in the Duport Road Community, where the newest case of Ebola in Liberia emerged, are undergoing regular temperature checks for possible signs of the deadly virus.

Nathan Gbotoe, 15 years old and a 5th-grade student of the Living in Christ School, recently died from the virus.

According to the report gathered by The Bush Chicken, over 200 students’ temperatures have been checked for any possible symptoms of the disease.

The report said the school, which has over 300 students enrolled, is being visited on a daily basis by Community-based Initiative workers for temperature checks. The Community-based Initiative program was set up to assist the Health Ministry to better track Ebola cases and contain the outbreak with the help of community volunteers.

The report added that the CBI workers are also visiting the homes of students that are absent from school to check their temperatures.

When contacted, Liberia’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Francis Kateh, confirmed the report and said the temperature checks at the victim’s school is part of the Ministry of Health’s surveillance system.

“This is one of the strategies the Ministry of Health has developed in containing the deadly virus in the area,” Kateh said.

He said whoever was in the presence of Nathan prior to his death would have to undergo temperature checks and be monitored for 21 days, adding, “temperature checks will be done three times a day depending on the active contact.”

Kateh said that this week is very critical for Liberia, noting if there should be anyone with symptoms of the virus, they will likely emerge at the end of the week.

“We are still keeping our fingers and knees crossed and hoping that Liberia will go through this period without experiencing another case,” Kateh said.

Featured photo by GPE/Tabassy Baro