Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Wilhemina Jallah has described as ‘untrue and misleading’ reports on social media about the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the country, precisely Sinoe County.
Minister Jallah noted, “The Ministry of Health is taken aback by the circulation of such dangerous messages on various social media which is detrimental to the health of the people of Liberia as well as the efforts being applied the government to improve the country’s health system.
Speaking Sunday, June 4, 2023 with the Independent Probe online, Dr Jallah asserted that thhe country’s health system is on full alert through its robust surveillance system and as such, no case of Ebola has been detected or found in any parts of Liberia.
Nevertheless, Minister Jallah Clarification followed after report over the weekend, emerged on various social media about the emergence of Ebola in Sinoe County, a disease which took the lives of several Liberians in the historic year of 2014.
The message read: “JUST IN: There’s a deadly outbreak in Sinoe County, southeastern #Liberia which started at the weekend and escalated on Monday & Tuesday. Sources at the F.J Grante Hospital in Greenville speak of over a dozen deaths – with health officials dawning PPEs similar to those worn during Ebola.”
The message added, “One expressed total bewilderment to me. Unclear what the outbreak is but blood samples have been taken to Buchanan in Grand Bassa county. Some of the victims are said to be literally dropping dead. The Police are using megaphones to warn residents to report all sick cases to the hospital and not to churches/shrines.”
It can be recalled the 2014–2016 Ebola saw Liberia as the most affected country taking recorded 4810 deaths, while neighbouring countries like Guinea and Sierra Leone recorded 2544 and 3956 deaths, respectively.
But she clarified that the MOH under her watch as Minister continues to monitor all health conditions across the sector, including any incidents of diseases, and stressed, “there is absolutely no case of the Ebola virus has shown up in any of our surveillance data.”
She Maintained, “So, I will like to assure the general public that reports circulating on social media about the discovery of a case of the Ebola virus in Sinoe County are false and misleading.”
“Liberia’s surveillance system continues to monitor all forms of illnesses and diseases and no case of Ebola virus condition has been reported in any of the surveillance data available to the Ministry of Health and we continue to work daily with all county Health teams around the clock to ensure Liberia remain save.” Minister Jallah added.