The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has announced
that Liberian scientists have acquired genomic sequencing detected and identified Monkeypox virus
Clade IIb in the country.
NPHIL stressed tha acquiring full biomolecular sequencing capability now gives Liberia’s National Reference Laboratory of the NPHIL the ability to promptly identify pathogentypes (including viruses and bacteria)in Country, right here in Liberia,without sending specimens outside of the country,”said Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, a
biomedical scientist and current Director-General of NPHIL further added.
“Genomic Sequencing is a special laboratory technique that allows scientists to know the arrangements of
the DNA or RNA or protein in an organism and in this situation,the technique then enables us to know if the pathogen has change [mutated]its genes as well as allows us to determine the origin or classification of the
pathogens, ”Dr. Nyan noted.
He told the media that previously, specimens were sent to the NIH in the US and the NCDC in Nigeria,and there results revealed the existence of the Mpox Clade-IIacirculating in Liberia but with Liberian scientists also detecting a second type (CladeIIb)of the Monkeypox virus in the country, this new genomic evidence provides the NPHIL with directions on preparedness and response, approaches to vaccines and diagnostics,tracing the origin of the virus,and investigating its mode of transmission from animal-to-humans or from human-to-human in
the communities, the NPHIL Director General emphasized.
The NPHIL boss indicated that the important technical capability of being able to sequence the genomes right here in Liberia at the National Reference Lab was achieved as such, he hailed the support of the WHO Liberia Country Office through a
Team of experts from the Noguchi Medical Memorial Institute of Ghana.
“Thanks also to the Africa CDC,
US-CDC, USAID and all partners for the collective support to the NPHIL,”Dr. Nyan mentioned.
As the NPHIL and the National Incident Management System (IMS) also respond to the Lassa, Measles,and Rubella outbreaks, NPHIL admonishes the population to remain calm, follow all health sanitation
regulations,avoid person-to-person contact,and practice protective sexual behaviour.
The NPHIL at the same time disclosed that Liberia has Zero(0)deaths recorded to date, thus giving Liberia a zero
percent case fatality rate (0% CFR)in the region since the global and continental Mpox outbreak was declared by the WHO and the Africa Centers for Disease Control (ACDC)in August this year, 2024.
NPHIL providing additional duties pointed out that as of the Epidemiological Week Number 43, Liberia now has zero (0) deaths, fourteen(14)Recovered
Cases, and only eight (8)Active Cases to date as reported by Liberia’s Mpox Incident Management System according to (IMS) presentation by the NPHIL to the weekly Africa CDC Continental Public Health Director Generals meeting this week.
