IPNEWS: The Ministry of Health says recent posts circulating on various social media about the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus disease in Sinoe County are ‘UNTRUE’.
Health Minister Wilhelmina S. Jallah told the authoritative Independent Probe that 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.
Minister Jallah said that Liberia’s health system is on full alert through its robust surveillance system and no case of Ebola has been detected or found in any parts of Liberia.
She told IPNEWS that the Ministry of Health continues to monitor all health conditions across the sector, including any incidents of diseases and absolutely no case of the Ebola virus has shown up in any of its surveillance data.
“We 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.” Dr. Wilhelmina S. Jallah, Health Minister told IPNEWS.
It may recall over the weekend, a fake report emerged on various social media directed at the emergence of Ebola in Sinoe County.
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. 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 Liberian National Police are using megaphones to warn residents to report all sick cases to the hospital and not to churches/shrines.”
WHO (2022) reports that the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic had a mortality rate close to 40% (amongst infected patients), with Liberia (as the most affected country) taking the unfortunate lead with 4810 deaths. Guinea and Sierra Leone recorded 2544 and 3956 deaths, respectively.
