NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The Ministry of Health has issued a nationwide health alert following a reported outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while assuring the public that no confirmed case has been detected in Liberia.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
In a press release issued Saturday, the Ministry said health authorities are closely monitoring the evolving situation in collaboration with regional and international public health partners to ensure the country remains prepared against any possible threat.
The alert follows report from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention confirming an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province in eastern DR Congo, where approximately 246 cases and more than 80 deaths have been recorded, mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.
According to Africa CDC, emergency discussions are ongoing between DR Congo, neighboring Uganda and South Sudan, alongside international health partners, to strengthen response efforts and cross-border disease surveillance.
Liberia’s Ministry of Health said the country remains mindful of the devastating impact Ebola previously had on the nation during the 2014-2016 outbreak, which claimed thousands of lives across West Africa and severely strained the country’s health system.
The Ministry noted that lessons learned from that crisis have significantly improved Liberia’s preparedness, including strengthened disease surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, border health monitoring, emergency response mechanisms, and healthcare worker training.
Health authorities explained that Ebola is a severe viral illness spread through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person, contaminated objects, or infected animals and animal products. Officials emphasized that infected persons can only transmit the virus after symptoms begin to appear.
Symptoms of the disease include fever, weakness, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and, in severe cases, bleeding and organ failure.
The Ministry said it continues to work closely with the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, the World Health Organization, Africa CDC, and regional health authorities to maintain surveillance and preparedness measures at health facilities and border entry points nationwide.
Citizens have been urged to remain calm, maintain regular handwashing practices, avoid direct contact with bodily fluids of sick individuals, promptly report suspected illnesses to health authorities, and rely on official information from the Ministry of Health.
“The Ministry of Health reassures the public that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in Liberia,” the statement emphasized. “The situation remains under close observation, and updates will be provided through official channels as necessary.”
Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo and is believed to have originated from bats. This latest outbreak marks the 17th recorded Ebola outbreak in the Central African nation.
According to the WHO, Ebola has an average fatality rate of around 50 percent, though survival chances improve significantly with early detection and supportive treatment.
