Congo Town — The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Health, has raised a red flag over the resurgence of the deadly Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), noting that Liberia remains mindful of the devastating impact Ebola previously had on the country and is closely monitoring the evolving situation.
A major Ebola outbreak is currently active in the DRC. The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Reports indicate at least 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths so far. Several healthcare workers are among the infected, raising concerns about transmission within the facility.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which no approved vaccines or specific therapeutics are currently available.
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On the international front, the virus has already crossed borders, with confirmed cases and at least one death reported in Kampala, Uganda. There is also a confirmed case in the DRC capital, Kinshasa.
Health organizations are urging rapid cross-border tracking, aggressive contact tracing, and the immediate isolation of infected individuals.
Liberia's own painful history with Ebola remains fresh. On March 30, 2014, the country confirmed its first two Ebola cases in Foya, Lofa County. Over the course of the epidemic, Liberia recorded 10,675 confirmed cases and 4,809 deaths.
The 2014-2016 West African Ebola epidemic was the largest and most complex in history, spreading from rural Guinea into Liberia and eventually reaching densely populated urban centers such as Monrovia.
Healthcare workers bore a heavy burden, with 152 Liberian healthcare workers infected and 79 deaths in the early months of the crisis.
In alerting the public to the situation in DRC, the Ministry of Health, in a press release over the weekend, informed Liberians of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak recently reported in Ituri Province, Eastern DRC.
According to health authorities, while no confirmed case of Ebola has been reported in Liberia, the Ministry continues to closely monitor the situation in collaboration with regional and international public health partners.
"Liberia remains mindful of the impact Ebola previously had on the country, its people, and the health system. The nation's experience during the 2014-2016 outbreak reinforced the importance of vigilance, early detection, rapid response, community awareness, and strong public health systems.
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Over the years, Liberia has strengthened disease surveillance, laboratory systems, border health measures, emergency preparedness, and healthcare worker capacity to support national readiness for public health threats," the release stated.
The Ministry further reminded the public that Ebola Virus Disease is a severe illness caused by the Ebola virus, spreading through direct contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person, contaminated objects or surfaces, and infected animals or animal products.
A person can only spread the disease after symptoms begin to appear, with symptoms including fever, weakness, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and, in severe cases, bleeding.
The Ministry of Health, together with the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and partners, continues to maintain surveillance and preparedness measures, including monitoring at health facilities and border points, public awareness activities, and coordination with WHO, Africa CDC, and regional health authorities.
Accordingly, the Ministry urged the public to remain calm, practice regular hand-washing, avoid direct contact with bodily fluids of sick individuals, report suspected illnesses promptly, and follow official information from the Ministry.
The Ministry of Health reassured the public that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in Liberia. The situation remains under close observation, and updates will be provided through official channels as necessary.
