By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Ethiopia, 14 November 2025 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed an emergency response team and medical supplies to Ethiopia after health authorities reported a cluster of suspected viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) cases in the South Ethiopia Region.
In a statement on Thursday, WHO said eight suspected cases have been identified so far, with laboratory testing underway at the Ethiopia Public Health Institute to determine the cause.
Health officials have heightened surveillance and launched field investigations to prevent further spread.
“All cases of acute viral haemorrhagic fever syndrome, whether single or in clusters, should be immediately notified without waiting for the causal agent to be identified,” WHO said.
The agency is sending an 11-member multidisciplinary team with expertise in outbreak investigation, laboratory support, infection prevention and control, clinical management, and community engagement.
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WHO is also providing personal protective equipment, infection-prevention supplies, and a rapidly deployable isolation tent to reinforce treatment capacity.
To accelerate the response, WHO has released US$300,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies.
Viral haemorrhagic fevers include diseases such as Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever. Authorities urged that all suspected cases be reported immediately, even before laboratory confirmation.
