The Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has announced that there are currently 25 active cases of Monkey Pox infection in the country, after nearly 40 suspected cases were tested
Duringg a press briefing at the Ministry of Information on Thursday, May 22, 2025, NPHIL Director General Dr. Chris Nyan stated the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak is 102, of which 77 recovered and 25 are currently being treated.
He said NPHIL has increased the number of lab technicians from 5 to 30, and also trained epidemiologists and deployed disease detectives across various counties. Dr. Nyan noted that they have enhanced lab capacity with additional testing reagents to differentiate Monkey Pox from similar conditions such as Chickenpox or Cowpox. He emphasized the importance of extensive public health messaging through press conferences, community outreach, and communication in local languages. Additionally, the entity is training journalists to understand terminology such as “suspected,” “confirmed,” “active,” and “recovered” cases.
“We are building public trust and resilience while assuring the public that Liberia’s public health system remains vigilant and responsive,” he added. He urged all Liberians to contribute to early detection and prevention efforts.
“We advise the public to avoid sharing personal items or sleeping in the same bed with infected individuals, and to report suspected cases immediately to the nearest health facility or by calling 4455,” he said. Dr. Nyan acknowledged that due to high call volumes, there may be delays, but the number remains operational.
He also revealed that in the international context, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa CDC declared Monkey Pox a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024. Liberia has been coping with sporadic Monkey Pox cases since 2020-2021, although the virus was first identified in 1958 in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. The current outbreak in Liberia was initially confirmed with a case in Sinoe County.
The index case was a 7-year-old girl whose father, a hunter, reportedly brought the virus home from the forest. Although he was asymptomatic, it is believed he transmitted the virus to her. Subsequently, her mother, who was caring for her, also contracted the virus. Both were isolated and treated.
At the same time, another case emerged in Lofa County, indicating the geographic spread of the virus. “Since then, cases have increased across several counties, including Montserrado and Nimba,” said the Public Health Chief.
