Mysterious Illness Strikes Liberia

Deaths have been on the rise in the country of Liberia due to an outbreak of a mysterious illness that began in southeastern Liberia, but has now spread to the capital. The illness was first registered on April 23 in Sinoe County. It is possible that all of the victims and sick people are linked to a funeral ceremony that took place in Monrovia of a religious leader from the region, however, no definitive links have been made yet.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently raised the total number of confirmed cases to 25, from 19 on Friday. The agency confirmed that the illness is not Ebola, the hemorrhagic fever that killed thousands in a recent west African epidemic, despite some similar symptoms, nor is it Lassa fever, a virus also present in the region.

A WHO spokesman said tests were being conducted at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, after previous inconclusive results elsewhere. Teams are collecting data to establish possible association between any food and drinks served during the funeral ceremony.

According to Joanne Liu, President of medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), the illness “might be food intoxication,” but more information is needed to establish any conclusive evidence of that.

The illness causes symptoms such as fever, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, and confusion.

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