Situational Context
Mpox is a zoonotic viral disease transmitted from animals to humans. Symptoms last 14 to 21 days. Severe cases occur more commonly among children and are related to pre-existing health conditions and the severity of complications. However, the case fatality rate for Mpox can vary widely between epidemics but has been less than 10% in documented events, mostly among young children.
As of August 20, 2024, twelve (12) member states of the Africa Union (AU), including Liberia, reported 18,910 cases and 541 deaths. About 96% of cases and 97% of deaths were reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)*. As a result, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization declared the Mpox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security and a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on the 13th and 14th of August 2024, respectively.
Mpox is one of the immediately reportable priority diseases in Liberia. Since 2016, sporadic cases have been reported across the country. Between November 2016 and August 2024, 377 suspected cases, including 33 laboratory-confirmed cases, have been reported, with no deaths recorded.
