Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health (MoH) together with the National Pubic Health Agency (NPHA) is currently testing samples of suspected Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) samples sent from a suspected case in Kono at 34 Military Hospital in Freetown.

The samples were collected from the deceased and contacts by the Rapid Response Team (RRT) who were deployed to Kono on Saturday morning.

“Routine investigations like these are an integral part of Sierra Leone’s public health surveillance to ensure community safety,” the NPHA said in a press release.

Some members of the public were wary of the news when it broke out late Friday evening but the government allayed the fears of citizens by encouraging them to remain “calm and follow updates from official channels for accurate information”.

Although VHFs like Lassa fever are not new to Sierra Leone, the country’s health system was disrupted when Ebola struck in 2014.

The Ebola outbreak resulted in the tragic loss of at least 3,900 lives, with over 14,000 individuals believed to have been infected. While the virus was declared eradicated in Sierra Leone in March 2016, the experience highlighted the need for improved healthcare systems and economic resilience in the face of such public health crises. Efforts to rebuild the country’s economy are still ongoing, focusing on strengthening infrastructure and support for affected communities.