Monrovia – The Ministry of Health (MoH) received confirmed laboratory report from the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) of 2 cases of monkey pox from Maryland and Rivercess Counties in November, 2017. The confirmatory tests were conducted by the Center for Disease, Prevention and Control (CDC), Atlanta, USA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in mid-2017, zero death was reported.
Since January 2018, Liberia has recorded one suspected case and awaits result from CDC. Zero confirmed and zero death.
The last Monkey pox confirmed case in Liberia was recorded in 1970 from Grand Gedeh County.
Monkey pox is a rare viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms in humans similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although less severe. Smallpox was eradicated in 1980. However, monkey pox still occurs sporadically in some parts of Africa.
Monkey pox was first isolated in human in 1970 in DRC. Since 1970, it has also been observed in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivore including Liberia.
Though there are currently no reported cases of monkey pox, MoH and NPHIL have initiated enhanced surveillance and health promotion.
