Following a molecular genetic sequencing results, The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL)has announced
the presence and circulation of the Monkeypox virusClade-IIa in Liberia.
According to NPHIL’s boss, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, the genomic evidence of Monkeypoxvirus CladeIIa in Liberia was demonstrated by separate, but comparable results of genomic sequencing performed on samples sent from NPHIL to the US National Institutesof Health (NIH) and the Nigeria Centerfor Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The work Liberia’s public health institute stated was facilitated by the NIH-PREVAIL-Liberia and the WHO-Liberia Country office.
“Knowledge of the existence of the Mpox Clade-IIacirculating in Liberia provides important scientific information about the genomic epidemiology of the Monkeypox virusin Liberia, how NPHIL addresses
issues of vaccines, how the institute approaches matters of diagnostics,and how it provides us information
on how the virus may be spreadingfrom animal-to-person or from person-to-person,”Dr. Dougbeh Chris
Nyan, NPHIL Director General said.
At the same time, NPHIL also announces that its National Reference Laboratory (NRL) has detected and confirmed three(3) new cases of Mpoxin the country.
The latest results now brings to eleven(11) the number of positive confirmed cases in Liberia since the Declaration of Mpox
as a Public Health Emergency of Continental and InternationalConcern by the Africa Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (ACDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO)in mid-August,2024.
According to NPHIL, Liberia now has a total of seventeen (17) confirmed cases of Mpox since 1st January 2024 to today, 13th of October 2024.
Providing further information, NPHIL disclosed that Twelve (12)of these cases have recovered, zero (0)deaths recorded, while five (5)cases remained active to date.
Meanwhile, NPHIL continues to concurrently respond to multiple outbreaks and public health emergencies
including Lassa, Measles, and Rubella, while the National Incident Management System (IMS)mobilizes resources and coordinates the national responseto the continental and global Mpoxout break declared by the Africa CDC and the WHO.
As the National Incident Management System (IMS) coordinates and manages the country’s outbreak preparedness and response, we admonish the population to remain calm, wash/sanitized your hands, avoid contact with suspected persons and animals,and also strongly advised to practice safe and protected sexual
behaviour, the NPHIL boss further cautioned the general population.
He also encouraged Citizens, residents,and communities to report suspected cases of Mpox to the nearest health facilities and authorities.
