Liberia forcibly quarantines five returning to US

Health authorities fighting Covid-19 in Liberia say they have forcibly placed under quarantine five people who were taken off a plane while attempting to return to the US after attending a funeral in Liberia.

The incident happened when one of those who had travelled with the group from the US for the funeral died in Monrovia, allegedly of coronavirus.

Dr Yatta Sackie Wapoe, head of the Covid-19 incident management team in the Monrovia area, told the BBC they are in search of other “high risk” people who were due to leave with the individuals.

One of those taken into compulsory quarantine who also had their passports seized told the BBC they are all Liberian-born US citizens.

He said so far their tests have come back negative, and expressed worries that their long stay in Liberia could affect their jobs back home.

BBC.COM