MONROVIA — The Government of Liberia has firmly dismissed widespread social media reports claiming the country has recorded a new Ebola outbreak, clarifying that there are currently no suspected, probable, or confirmed cases of the deadly virus within Liberia.
In a joint statement issued Saturday, May 23, 2026, the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), and the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC) described the circulating claims as false and misleading.
“Liberia currently has no suspected, probable, or confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD),” the statement emphasized.
The health authorities urged citizens to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information capable of creating panic and confusion among the population.
“We encourage the public to remain calm and refrain from spreading or giving credence to misleading information and unverified reports intended to create unnecessary panic and attract social media attention,” the release stated.
The clarification comes amid heightened public concern following reports of a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Uganda, where health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) have raised alarms over increasing infections linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
According to the WHO, the outbreak has already generated hundreds of suspected cases and scores of deaths in eastern Congo, prompting international health concerns because no approved vaccine currently exists for the Bundibugyo strain.
Liberian health authorities acknowledged the regional health threat but stressed that Liberia’s surveillance and response systems remain active and vigilant.
The Ministry of Health and NPHIL said they continue to maintain enhanced surveillance measures at health facilities and border entry points across the country in coordination with international and regional health partners, including the WHO, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Africa CDC.
“The official institutions responsible for reporting and communicating disease outbreaks in Liberia are the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia,” the statement reminded the public.
Health authorities also encouraged citizens to practice preventive health measures, including regular handwashing, avoiding direct contact with bodily fluids of sick individuals, and promptly reporting suspected illnesses to health officials.
Liberia’s response reflects lingering national sensitivity to Ebola following the devastating 2014–2016 West African outbreak, during which Liberia became one of the worst-affected countries globally.
According to international health records, Liberia recorded more than 10,000 Ebola cases and over 4,800 deaths during the epidemic, which severely overwhelmed the country’s fragile healthcare system and disrupted social and economic life nationwide.
Since the end of the outbreak, Liberia has invested heavily in rebuilding its public health infrastructure, strengthening disease surveillance systems, and improving emergency preparedness capacities in partnership with international health organizations.
Earlier this month, Liberian authorities placed the national health system on alert following confirmation of the new Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo and Uganda. Government officials indicated that border monitoring, screening, and public awareness efforts had already been intensified as precautionary measures.
The latest statement appears aimed at countering growing misinformation online while reassuring the public that no Ebola case has been detected in Liberia.
Meanwhile, health authorities say they remain fully prepared to respond should any suspected case emerge.
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