Health authorities in Liberia issued conflicting statements this week after the death of a ship passenger who reportedly showed symptoms consistent with a viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), prompting concern in a country still scarred by the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic.
The Ministry of Health, in an urgent memorandum signed Tuesday by Health Minister Louise Kpoto, directed county health teams in Maryland, River Gee, Grand Gedeh and Nimba to quarantine all contacts of the deceased, intensify surveillance, and reactivate emergency protocols pending laboratory confirmation.
The memo said the patient “presented with symptoms consistent with VHF before passing away during the voyage” and ordered daily monitoring of contacts, immediate reporting of symptomatic individuals, preparation of isolation rooms, and reinforcement of personal protective equipment (PPE) use—especially at ports of entry and county hospitals.
But on Wednesday the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) issued a contrasting update. NPHIL said it routinely conducts surveillance and molecular PCR testing for VHF pathogens, including Ebola and Marburg viruses, and that all specimens received and tested at the National Reference Laboratory were negative as of 10 September 2025 at 21:50 GMT.
The institute said those negative results “rule out any of the indicated Viral Haemorrhagic fever pathogens infections in said biological specimens” and that it cannot confirm any suspected VHF case in Liberia at this time.
The mixed messaging has left residents and some health workers uncertain about what precautions to take. Local public health experts quoted by the media urged greater transparency and closer coordination between county task forces and national authorities to prevent confusion and ensure that contact tracing, sample testing and patient care proceed without delay.
“Rapid, coordinated communication is essential in situations like this,” one expert said. “Quarantine, isolation and thorough contact tracing are crucial while laboratories complete confirmatory tests.”
Liberia’s memory of the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic. Which killed an estimated 10,000 people in the country and severely damaged the economy—makes preparedness a particularly sensitive issue.
Health officials reiterated that prompt identification and isolation of suspected cases, along with rigorous contact tracing and infection prevention measures, remain the best tools to prevent wider transmission while laboratory confirmation is awaited.
NPHIL encouraged the public and scientific community to remain calm, continue observing public health guidance, and support the nation’s surveillance efforts as authorities follow up on the incident.
