WHO Clears Cepheid's Rapid Ebola Test for Emergency Use in DRC Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted an emergency use listing to Cepheid's Xpert Hemorrhagic Fever Panel Test, a diagnostic tool intended to support the ongoing Ebola outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The designation allows the molecular test to be deployed more rapidly in affected regions, where timely identification of viral hemorrhagic fevers is critical for patient isolation and contact tracing. The panel is designed to detect multiple pathogens, aiding clinicians in distinguishing Ebola from other fever-causing illnesses.

Cepheid, the molecular diagnostics company behind the test, announced the regulatory milestone on September 3. The emergency use listing is part of a broader effort to equip frontline health workers with reliable, point-of-care testing options during public health emergencies.

While the WHO listing does not replace full regulatory approval, it signals that the test meets international quality, safety, and performance standards for use under emergency conditions. The move comes as health authorities in the DRC continue to battle sporadic Ebola outbreaks, which require rapid laboratory confirmation to contain transmission chains effectively.