Liberia Steps Up Fight Against Mpox

10 November 2025
Liberian Observer (Monrovia)
By : Claudius T. Greene, Jr.

Health authorities have announced renewed national efforts to contain the spread of Mpox, following confirmation of more than 2,400 suspected cases of the disease across all 15 counties.

The disclosure was made by Dr. Catherine T. Cooper, Chief Medical Officer of Liberia, during a press conference on Friday in Congo Town. She said the update was aimed at helping the public better understand the current situation and support the government's efforts to end the outbreak.

"As of November 3, 2025, Liberia has recorded 2,447 suspected cases of Mpox, with 1,308 laboratory-confirmed cases," Dr. Cooper revealed. "This reflects a positivity rate of 56.6 percent, indicating that community transmission remains active across several counties."

Dr. Cooper extended appreciation to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the Government of Liberia, and all technical and financial partners who have supported the country since the outbreak began in September 2024.

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She highlighted that the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) are working with partners to strengthen surveillance, testing, and treatment efforts to curb transmission.

According to the Chief Medical Officer, there are currently 148 active cases undergoing treatment or home-based care. Montserrado County remains the most affected, accounting for 57 percent of active cases, followed by Nimba (18%), Margibi (7%), Grand Bassa (5%), and Grand Kru (4%).

Despite the rising case numbers, recovery efforts have been encouraging, with 1,154 patients reported to have fully recovered, and six deaths recorded, giving a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 0.5 percent.

"This low fatality rate is evidence that our interventions from case management to community awareness are yielding results," Dr. Cooper said. "But we cannot afford to relax; the appearance of new cases demands sustained vigilance and collaboration."

To stop further spread, Dr. Cooper announced that the Ministry and its partners are implementing a comprehensive 60-90-day response plan that prioritizes rapid case detection, effective treatment, and community mobilization.

The key strategies include:

  1. Intensified Active Case Finding: All confirmed cases will be placed under treatment promptly, with expanded services at the Liberia Center for Infectious Disease Hospital and refresher training for frontline clinicians.
  2. Community Engagement and Risk Communication: Community, market, and youth leaders will be empowered to drive local awareness on hand hygiene, early reporting, and prevention of sexual transmission.
  3. Preventive Vaccination Campaign: Beginning December 2025 through February 2026, a nationwide Mpox vaccination campaign will target individuals 18 years and above. This follows the donation of 42,720 vaccine doses to Liberia in September 2025 by a consortium including US CDC, Africa CDC, GAVI, UNICEF, and CEPI.
  4. Improved Coordination and Logistics: Daily Incident Management System (IMS) meetings will ensure timely responses, supply chain management, and monitoring of hotspots.
  5. Zero Preventable Deaths: Strengthening of intensive care capacity and training of clinicians to ensure early treatment and reduced complications.
  6. Nationwide Awareness Drive: The Ministry aims to achieve 80 percent public awareness on Mpox prevention, early care seeking, and safe practices, particularly in hotspot counties.

Dr. Cooper cautioned that Liberia now stands at a critical juncture in its public health response.

"Without bold and sustained action, Mpox transmission could escalate and threaten our health system and communities," she warned. "We therefore call on all Liberians, from community leaders to civil society to actively support the awareness and vaccination campaign."

She reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to ensuring that resources are deployed where they are needed most and that all citizens have access to accurate information and preventive care.

"Together, with our partners and communities, we can bring this outbreak under control and protect the health of our nation," Dr. Cooper concluded.

Background

Mpox, formerly known as Monkey pox, is a viral disease transmitted from animals to humans and through close human contact. It presents with fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes and can lead to severe complications in some patients. Liberia's current outbreak began in September 2024, with ongoing surveillance and response led by the Ministry of Health and NPHIL.

Read the original article on Liberian Observer.

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