So far, eight possible cases have been reported in the southern region of Ethiopia and laboratory tests are being carried out to determine the exact cause.
Health care workers are among those infected, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet.
What is viral hemorrhagic fever?
Viral hemorrhagic fevers are a group of epidemic-prone diseases caused by several different families of viruses and include Marburg and Ebola virus diseases, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Lassa fever.
They can range from relatively mild to severe and life-threatening and are characterized by the sudden onset of muscle and joint pain, fever, bleeding, and shock from blood loss.
Bleeding or hemorrhage from the orifices and internal organs is a prominent symptom in severe cases.
Transmission can occur in several ways, depending on the disease, including through contact with symptomatic patients, culling practices, and direct contact with rodents or their droppings in the case of Lassa fever.
Medical professionals, supplies and funds.
“The WHO has sent experts to affected cities, along with medicines and other materials to support care for people in need.and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers,” Tedros said.
The 11 technical officers will assist in several areas, including disease surveillance, research and testing, as well as infection prevention and control.
The agency is providing other essential supplies, including a rapidly deployable isolation tent to boost clinical care and management capacity.
Tedros also released $300,000 from the WHO Emergency Contingency Fund to provide immediate support to national authorities.
“WHO offices in Ethiopia and South Sudan are working closely to prevent possible cross-border transmission” he said, and the agency “is ready to expand support, when necessary.”
