HIGHLIGHTS
● One new confirmed case reported from Montserrado County
● Seventeen (17) new suspected cases reported (Bong-1, Grand Kru-1, Lofa-3, Montserrado-7, River Gee-5)
● No death recorded
SITUATIONAL CONTEXT
Mpox is a zoonotic viral disease transmitted from animal to human, with symptoms lasting between 14 and 21 days. Severe cases occur more commonly among children and those with pre-existing health conditions. However, the case fatality rate varies widely between epidemics but has been less than 10% in documented events, mostly among young children.1
On August 13 and 14, 2024, respectively, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa
CDC)2 and the World Health Organization3 declared the Mpox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security and a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to increased cases reported across the African continent and parts of Europe.
Since 1 January 2022, cases of Mpox have been reported to WHO from 17 Member States across the African continent. As of 20th September 2024, 14 affected countries have reported 6,521 confirmed cases, including 32 deaths. The three countries with the majority of the cases in 2024 are Democratic Republic of the Congo (n = 5 621), Burundi (n = 639), and Nigeria (n = 55)4.
Mpox is one of the immediately reportable priority diseases in Liberia. Since 2016, sporadic cases have been reported across the country. From January 2022 to September 25, 2024, a total of 386 suspected cases, including 38 laboratory-confirmed cases, were reported, with no deaths recorded. Since January 2024 to current, Liberia has documented 176 suspected cases, including 13 laboratory-confirmed cases. However, since the declaration of Mpox on August 13, 2024, as PHEIC, Liberia has recorded 127 suspected cases, from which seven laboratory-confirmed cases are documented.
Event Description
The events described below are confirmed cases of Mpox following the declaration of Mpox by the WHO and Africa CDC as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on August 13 and 14, 2024, respectively.
