Published: June 30, 2025
MONROVIA, Liberia — Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), spent the weekend conducting Mpox diagnostics at the National Reference Laboratory as the country reports a decline in active cases.
Nyan, a molecular diagnostics expert, led junior scientists in testing backlog samples, marking a renewed effort to track the virus amid a global shortage of testing kits that had paused screening since June 8.
“This weekend’s diagnostics with our young scientists was both impressive and rewarding,” Nyan told reporters Saturday evening, June 28. “These results show we’re making measurable progress, but this is not the time for complacency.”
NPHIL reported Friday that active Mpox cases have dropped to 17 from 18 earlier in the week, with recoveries rising to 158. No deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began, which health officials attribute to a coordinated national response and strong public cooperation.
Nyan, who warned that active case numbers could rise again once testing resumes, urged the public to continue following health protocols.
“We urge all Liberians to avoid physical contact, practice regular hand hygiene, and report any suspected symptoms to NPHIL or the nearest health center,” he said.
The latest figures mark an improvement over the June 24 report, which listed 18 active cases and 157 recoveries.
NPHIL continues to coordinate Liberia’s Mpox response through its Incident Management System (IMS), supported by local and international partners. The agency is deploying surveillance teams, leading public awareness campaigns, and reinforcing containment measures across the country.
Dr. Ralph Jetoh, Director of NPHIL’s Division of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology, said cross-border surveillance and community case finding are also being intensified.
Appointed by President Joseph Boakai in August 2024, Nyan is a globally recognized infectious disease specialist. He won the 2017 African Innovation Prize for Social Impact and is credited for developing low-cost diagnostic tools. He was also instrumental in Liberia’s Ebola response and has testified before the U.S. Congress on global health security.
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