Strange skin disease affects 1,777

The Public Health Institute of Liberia or NPHIL in collaboration with the Ministry of Health is investigating a strange skin disease here that has reportedly spread to five counties, afflicting 1,777 persons.

The plague, which appears like rash on the skin rapidly spreads when scratched, creating panic among locals.Dr. Ralph Jetoh of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia says investigation is ongoing to establish cause of the disease in the country.

Speaking Monday on a local radio station, he explains the skin disease has hit Grand Bassa, Bong, and Margibi, Rivercess and Montserrado Counties, respectively, reporting that Montserrado County has the highest infected cases.

He says surveillance officers have engaged various infected communities and the counties respectively, but no laboratory test has been conducted.
According to him, the affliction could be equated to scabies easily transmitted by clothes or bodily contact, noting that those that are affected will have to get rid of clothes they are now using or disinfect them.

However, he says there has been no information of death since the reported disease, assuring that there is no need for panic as the disease will be put under control.

“We can say it is scabies because some cases in Grand Bassa were managed by the BB Lotion, a cream that heals lot of skin diseases, and it worked on a lot of people.”

For some time now, Liberians have experienced the strange skin disease locally described as “Be serious” due to severe itching sensation associated with it. The plague affects all categories of people, including children, young and old people.

By Ethel A. Tweh