By Vaye Abel Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia – In a groundbreaking scientific achievement, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has identified a new strain of the Monkeypox virus, known as Mpox Clade IIa, decades after the first case was detected in the country in 1970.
The discovery was made by a team of Liberian scientists led by Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, Director General of NPHIL, using advanced genomic sequencing technology at the National Reference Laboratory in Charlesville. The findings have been validated by international partners in Nigeria and the United States and published in the prestigious journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“This breakthrough shows that Liberia now has the capacity to sequence and characterize pathogens accurately,” Dr. Nyan said. “It puts us in a stronger position to respond to public health threats.”
Mpox, a viral zoonotic disease transmitted mainly through direct contact, has been circulating across Africa with different strains. While Clade IIb is most common in West Africa, the newly identified Clade IIa adds to scientific understanding of the virus’s evolution and spread.
Despite the discovery, Liberia’s Mpox situation is improving. The NPHIL reports 112 active cases and no deaths as of August 22, 2025. This comes a year after the Africa CDC and WHO declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern.
During a recent visit, U.S. Senator Jack Reed praised Liberian scientists, noting: “Your work is vital not only for Liberia, but also for global health security.”
NPHIL officials emphasized that this achievement highlights the importance of African-led research and international collaboration. “African scientists must be properly credited for knowledge and discoveries generated on the continent,” Dr. Nyan stressed.
