Ganta, Nimba County – Health authorities in Liberia have quarantined more than 20 people in Ganta, Nimba County following the death of a Turkish national initially suspected of having Ebola.
By Franklin Doloquee and Selma Lomax
The response, which includes military deployment and strict enforcement of health protocols, has stirred public concern — even as the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) confirmed that no Ebola or Marburg virus was detected in laboratory tests.
According to the Nimba County Health Team, the Turkish national, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was a crew member who reportedly died suddenly at sea near Maryland County.
His body was being transported to Monrovia when health authorities in Ganta intercepted the vehicle carrying the remains and flagged the incident as a potential Ebola case. The suspected case immediately triggered emergency protocols, including the quarantine of more than 20 individuals.
Those quarantined include workers at Gompa Funeral Home, passengers in the taxi that transported the body, and the funeral home’s owner, David Mulbeh. Military officers from the Gbarnga Regional Hub were deployed in Ganta to enforce compliance and prevent any possible spread of infection. Specimens from the deceased were subsequently sent to Monrovia for laboratory analysis.
On Tuesday, September 10, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia announced that all specimens tested at its National Reference Laboratory returned negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses.
“To date (10th September 2025 at 21:00 Hrs GMT), all specimens received and tested by the molecular PCR method at the National Reference Laboratory of the NPHIL have demonstrated ‘NEGATIVE’ for Ebola and Marburg. This NEGATIVE-TEST RESULT thereby rules out any of the indicated VHF infections in said biological specimens,” said NPHIL Director General, Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan.
While the test results have ruled out any case of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF), NPHIL fell short of stating whether the ongoing quarantine in Ganta would be lifted — a silence that has drawn criticism and highlighted apparent coordination gaps between NPHIL and the Ministry of Health.
Despite the negative results, there has been no formal communication on the status or duration of the quarantine affecting the more than 20 individuals, fueling anxiety in the affected community.
The incident has reopened old wounds in a country still scarred by the devastating Ebola outbreak between 2014 and 2016, which killed over 4,800 Liberians out of nearly 10,700 confirmed cases. At the height of the outbreak, Liberia recorded some of the highest infection and death rates in the region, severely impacting its healthcare system, economy, and social fabric.
Liberia was first declared Ebola-free in May 2015, only to face two more flare-ups before the virus was officially declared eradicated in January 2016. The outbreak led to sweeping reforms in public health surveillance and the creation of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia in 2017 to improve epidemic preparedness and response.
Since then, Liberia has faced occasional suspected cases of Ebola and other viral infections, but no major outbreaks. The country’s experience managing the COVID-19 pandemic was also shaped by lessons from the Ebola crisis, reinforcing systems for contact tracing, quarantine, and emergency response.
In this latest suspected case, local and international observers are closely watching how the government handles public communication, coordination, and community reassurance. Critics say the mixed signals from the health authorities reflect a lingering weakness in crisis response cohesion.
When contacted by FrontPage Africa, NPHIL Director General Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan said he was attending an international conference in Abidjan but promised to coordinate with his team on the ground. However, he had not responded to follow-up inquiries at the time of publication.
The Ministry of Health has also not issued a formal statement regarding the quarantine status or whether affected individuals in Ganta will be released. The continued silence has left families, local health workers, and community members in limbo.
Meanwhile, NPHIL has urged the public to remain calm, continue observing all health protocols, and seek verified information directly from the agency. It also reminded the public that Liberia is currently responding to multiple other outbreaks, including Mpox, Lassa fever, and Measles.
