By Jamesetta D. Williams
MONROVIA–The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) says Liberia remains at low risk for Ebola virus disease, despite an ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The update was provided Tuesday at the Ministry of Information press briefing by NPHIL Director General Dr. Sia Wata Camanor, who said Liberia continues to strengthen surveillance and preventive measures to protect the country from a potential importation of the virus.
Dr. Camanor said the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has affected several provinces, with more than 6,000 confirmed cases and 2,911 deaths, according to information presented during the briefing.
He also referenced Uganda’s response to its Ebola outbreak, saying the country successfully controlled the situation after recording 20 cases and two deaths.
According to Dr. Camanor, one of the cases involved a doctor who had worked in the DRC and later traveled to France, where the individual recovered.
Despite Liberia’s current low-risk classification, the NPHIL Director General cautioned that the situation requires continued vigilance.
He said NPHIL surveillance officers and county health teams remain actively engaged in monitoring developments and implementing measures aimed at detecting and responding quickly to any potential imported case.
Since the declaration of the Ebola outbreak in May, Liberia has screened more than 1,164 travelers arriving from countries identified as being of interest because of the outbreak in the region.
Dr. Camanor said that as of August, 92 travelers had been placed under monitoring as part of Liberia’s public health surveillance measures.
Some of those travelers have completed the required 21-day monitoring period, while others remain under observation.
He said Liberia has not recorded any suspected Ebola cases linked to the travelers being monitored.
The screening and monitoring measures are part of Liberia’s preparedness efforts to ensure that any potential case is identified early and that appropriate response measures can be activated immediately.
Dr. Camanor stressed that Liberia’s low-risk status should not be interpreted as a reason for the country to relax its surveillance and preparedness measures.
He said the possibility of cross-border transmission requires continued monitoring, particularly because of regional movements of people.
The NPHIL Director General commended surveillance officers, county health teams, healthcare workers, travelers, and other stakeholders for their cooperation and compliance with public health measures.
He also urged the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with health authorities, particularly with screening and monitoring procedures at points of entry.
Dr. Camanor assured Liberians that NPHIL and other health authorities remain actively engaged in surveillance and preparedness activities.
He said the measures are intended to strengthen Liberia’s ability to detect, contain, and respond rapidly to any potential Ebola threat while the regional outbreak continues to be monitored.
About The Author
