Tests rule out Ebola in Liberia

By Kpadeh Evelyn

MONROVIA, Liberia

Rumors of a return of the deadly Ebola disease were quashed on Monday when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said a recent outbreak of illness in the country was meningitis.

Since April 25, an unknown disease broke out southeastern Liberia killing at least 13 people and spread to three of the country’s 15 counties.

In an address on Monday, Liberia’s health minister, Dr. Bernice Dahn, said 31 cases had been reported, while 207 people were under contact observation or surveillance.

Dahn said 28 specimens had been collected and tested for Ebola and Lassa fever but had proved negative.

“We can now say, the disease we are dealing with is not Ebola. The CDC, our partners, has confirmed that we are dealing with meningitis”.

An outbreak of Ebola between 2014 and 2015 claimed thousands of lives in Liberia.