Ethiopia Faces Heightened Rift Valley Fever Risk Due to El Niño

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have issued a warning regarding an increased risk of Rift Valley fever outbreaks across six Eastern African countries, including Ethiopia. This heightened alert is due to heavy rainfall and flooding driven by the El Niño phenomenon, which creates favorable conditions for the disease to spread. The agencies have urged regional governments to take proactive measures to mitigate the potential impact of the disease outbreaks.