Silent Spread: Liberia’s Mpox Outbreak May Be Worse Than It Seems
- Michael T
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Experts familiar with Liberia’s healthcare system are warning of a possible alarming escalation in the ongoing Mpox outbreak, as the number of active cases has hit 57. While official figures show 134 lab-confirmed cases and 77 recoveries since January 2024, experts fear these numbers may only represent a fraction of the true scale.
The real concern is the number of people those 57 active cases may have come in contact with, potentially exposing hundreds more to the virus. Mpox is known to spread through close contact, and with each patient likely interacting with several individuals before diagnosis, the risk of silent transmission grows.
There are also fears that many cases are not being reported due to fear of stigma. In communities where Mpox is associated with social exclusion or discrimination, people with symptoms may avoid clinics or hide their illness, making it difficult for health workers to trace contacts and contain the outbreak. This underreporting could mean that the actual number of infections is significantly higher than what is currently being captured by the health system23.
With 765 suspected cases and 661 samples tested so far, public health officials are urging anyone with symptoms to come forward for testing and treatment. They warn that unless stigma and misinformation are addressed, Liberia could be facing a much larger and more challenging outbreak than current figures reveal. The situation remains active and concerning, with the potential for rapid escalation if hidden cases continue to fuel the spread of the virus23.
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