By: Lawrence D. Kawala
NPHIL Boss, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan has urged Liberians not to panic about the MPox virus, and said the National Public Health Institute of Liberia is in full control in handling the spread of the virus.
Speaking in a radio interview on Monday, May 19, 2025 at ELBC, Dr. Nyan disclosed that there are four active confirmed Monkey Pox cases in Liberia, highlighting a prompt response from authorities in Montserrado, Sinoe and Margibi Counties, where new infections have emerged. He said among those who are currently undergoing treatment, is a popular Liberian comedian called Jabateh, who publicly disclosed his diagnosis of MPox virus in a live Facebook post.
At the same time, he applauded Comedian Jabateh for disclosing his diagnosis and encouraged everyone to report any case of MPox virus.
NPHIL Boss disclosed that between Jan. 1, 2024, and May 11, 2025, a total of 652 suspected Mpox cases were reported nationwide. Of these, 572 samples were tested, with 78 confirmed positive across 14 of the country’s 15 counties.
“The outbreak remains under control, but we urge the public to stay vigilant and follow preventive health protocols," Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan noted.
NPHIL Director General, Dr. Nyan stated that the National Public Health Institude of Liberia is targeting Nimba, Montserrado and the border areas along Lofa and Grand Cape Mount Counties, where contact of infected person and high risk person of the virus will not be able to spread from community to community.
However, Dr. Nyan disclosed that there are ten thousand, eighty (10,080) doses of MPox vaccines currently in Liberia and said that the vaccine was approved just for the MPox emergency, which is called Emergency Use Authorized Vaccine, safe and effective.
He further disclosed that within just two days, five to six hundred people took the vaccine, which there have been about two thousand plus doses that have been administered already.
Moreover, Dr. Nyan has urged health workers and other highly risk contacts, sure as border officers and others to take the MPox vaccine, and encouraged everyone to report cases of MPox, outlining the symptoms of Monkey Pox, as; Rash, Fever, Swollen and Lymph nodes.
Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan on the ELBC "Super Morning Show" with Varfely Kamara, applauded the media for working along with NIPHL in handling this awareness of the MPox virus very effectively, which did not cause any form of panic within the public.
