The Ministry of Health is moving to quash rumours that a Liberian man, showing symptoms of Ebola had arrived last night at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.
The man and his female partner have left Jamaica and he was not showing any symptoms of Ebola.
The couple was originally scheduled to leave Jamaica next Thursday.
It’s understood the couple was also refused entry to a prominent hotel in western Jamaica after word circulated of the man’s recent travel to Ebola hit, Liberia.
The presence of the man triggered confusion last night at Sangster International.
It also sparked rumours that he was showing signs of the deadly virus threatening the world.
The presence of the man in Jamaica also resulted in a high level meeting this afternoon involving Jamaica’s national security and health officials.
In a statement this afternoon, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse says as part of the Ministry of Health’s Ebola response strategy a couple including one person who had recently traveled from Liberia via the United States was quarantined in Montego Bay yesterday according to protocol.
Dr. Bullock Ducasse says the couple left the island today.
She says the decision to quarantine the individuals was made last night during the screening process at Sangster International.
According to Dr. DuCasse – “the couple is well and neither of them displayed any symptoms of Ebola virus disease and as such there was no risk involved.”
Dr. Ducasse says the couple was monitored by senior public health officials during their quarantine in Jamaica.
She noted that the incubation period for Ebola is 2 –to- 21 days and during incubation persons cannot transmit the virus.”
This morning Nationwide News sources indicated that a United States national who had been to Liberia within the last three weeks was given entry to Jamaica.
Our sources say the man and his wife departed the island this afternoon via Delta Flight 718 after they were intercepted by local law enforcement and medical personnel.
Our sources say when the visitor arrived yesterday he told immigration officers that he had recently been to Liberia.
He was reportedly sent to a medical area at the airport and subsequently given permission to enter Jamaica.
Immigration sources have since expressed concern to our news center.
The officer said immigration personnel have not been briefed regarding the protocol to be used to deal with persons who arrive in Jamaica from West African countries hit by Ebola.
The immigration officer told us airport staffers had to decide on their own how to address the issue yesterday afternoon after the man declared that he’d recently been to Liberia.
Nationwide sources say an advisory has since been sent to the island’s immigration officers not to admit into Jamaica, persons from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
That advisory was received by immigration officers at 2:37 this afternoon.
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