The Director General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, has refuted reports of the presence of viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
According to Dr. Nyan, there was a suspected case involving a healthcare worker who showed symptoms of the disease. However, after a sample was collected and tested, the results came back negative.
"There is no outbreak of viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in Sierra Leone," he said, urging the public not to panic but continue washing their hands and follow the Mpox preventive measures.
A few weeks ago, Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health and its National Public Health Agency (NPHA) tested a sample of a suspected case of VHF at the 34 Military Hospital in Freetown. A health worker fell ill and subsequently died in Freetown. exhibiting symptoms related to the VHF. The Rapid Response Team collected samples from the deceased and conducted contact tracing. The test results indicated that the deceased was negative for VHF. Contacts were quarantined for 21 days as a precaution.
The VHF is a group of diseases caused by multiple viruses that can be transmitted through human contact with urine, fecal matter, saliva, or other body excretions from infected rodents. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), VHF symptoms are often accompanied by bleeding. It also causes mild illnesses, many of which are life-threatening diseases.
Liberia and Freetown share close road border points. These crossing points see the daily movements and migration of people from both countries, for reasons related to business, family, and healthcare, among others. These mediums are potential ways for viruses and diseases to be transported between countries. Since reports of VHF in Sierra Leone, there have been concerns prompting Dr. Nyan to refute the report. In a press conference on December 11, Dr. Nyan disclosed that there has been constant communication between health authorities in Freetown and Monrovia, including measures put in place.
"In the last couple of hours, we have gotten lots of calls from people concerned about the VHF in Sierra Leone. They are hearing this one, and it is now coming to Liberia. There is no outbreak of viral fever (VHF) in Sierra Leone."
During the media engagement, the NPHIL Executive Director said as of August 13, 2024, there are 26 active cases and 63 confirmed cases of Mpox in Liberia. He expressed appreciation for the effective handling of cases, which has led to numerous recoveries, and commended the Liberian media for avoiding misinformation.
Nyan also shared that NPHIL expects an influx of victims, and the institute is actively working on acquiring vaccines. He indicated that NPHIL is collaborating with young scientists on innovative tools that could enhance their research capabilities in combating diseases such as COVID-19 Lassa fever, and other diseases in Liberia.
"We are making significant strides in research and development, and we are ensuring that our efforts are in alignment with regional partners," stated Nyan. He emphasized the importance of advancing health research in Africa and noted the recent acquisition of sequencing technologies that will aid in their endeavors.
According to Dr. Nyan, 39 cases of Lassa fever have been tested and confirmed in Liberia. He said the confirmed cases were tested out of 231 suspected cases. "So those tested ones are the confirmed ones that are 39 positive out of the 231, and out of that, we have 177 negatives."