Think of it from a typical person in that area (or honestly here) perspective.
Your friend goes to the hospital with typical flu symptoms and gets thrown in a ward with people who have ebola. Even if he has the flu, he is now dead.
Or if he does have it, you have been hearing on TV and the radio that is all a plot to kill you funded by the CIA. At first you think it silly, till you see body bags leaving the hospital and being burned out back. Remember they have little experience with Ebola.
People are stupid. I can see this happening in a major city in the US pretty easily.
While I agree that people can be stupid about everywhere, there are several huge differences. To start with, look at the CIA Factbook for Liberia, under “People and Society”:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook//geos/li.html
The largest of their top 10 ethnic minorities only has about 20% of the population. Likewise, to a great extent, tribes still rule their people, not the government.
Though it is the official language, only 20% of Liberians can speak English. The other 20 languages are primitive and rarely written.
43% of their population is below age 14.
.01 physicians per 1000 population. (US has 2.42 per 1000).
Their fresh water and sanitation are also lacking. US has almost 100% quality for both.
Note also that Liberia has an entry for Major Infectious Diseases.
The US has had a top notch epidemic disease response for well over 100 years; and during WWII, there was an enormous government initiative to teach the public hygiene, which continues today.