-As Health Ministry Confirms 4 Active Cases
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia – The Ministry of Health has issued a public health alert following laboratory confirmation of four active Mpox cases across Liberia, signaling a potential rise in infections.
In an official statement released Sunday, the ministry disclosed that two cases were detected in Montserrado County, with one each in Margibi and Sinoe counties. Health authorities have swiftly activated emergency response measures, including isolating and transferring confirmed patients to the National Infectious Disease Center for specialized care.
Health officials are urging citizens to remain vigilant but calm, emphasizing that early detection and containment efforts are underway. The Ministry of Health assured the public that the ministry is working closely with epidemiologists and local health teams to monitor and mitigate further spread.
The ministry has advised citizens to watch for key symptoms, including: Fever, Severe headache, Skin rashes or lesions and Swollen lymph nodes.
Individuals experiencing these symptoms are urged to avoid close contact with others and seek immediate medical attention. Health teams are conducting contact tracing and sample collection in affected areas to identify and isolate potential cases.
Vaccination Campaign Underway
To curb transmission, Liberia has secured Mpox vaccines, with over 2,000 doses already administered in high-risk counties, including Cape Mount, Nimba, Grand Bassa, and Sinoe. Vaccination priority is being given to: Close contacts of confirmed cases, Frontline health workers, including surveillance teams and case managers, and Security personnel involved in outbreak response.
Enhanced surveillance and community awareness campaigns are also being rolled out in Montserrado, Margibi, and Lofa counties, where vaccination efforts will soon expand. While the situation remains under control, the Health Ministry has called for collective responsibility to prevent further infections.
“We appreciate the public’s cooperation so far and remind everyone that adherence to health guidelines is crucial,” the statement read. Liberia’s previous experience in managing infectious diseases, including Ebola and COVID-19, has strengthened its emergency response systems. Health officials say they remain confident that with prompt action and public compliance, the spread of Mpox can be contained.
The current mpox situation in Liberia reflects broader trends across West Africa, where several countries have reported cases since the global outbreak began.
The global context of mpox adds urgency to Liberia’s containment efforts. Since 2022, over 92,000 cases have been reported worldwide across 117 countries, with a particular concentration among men who have sex with men in non-endemic countries.
