Introduction to the guideline

Scope of this guide

This publication will focus on the management of the four quarantinable viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs), given their increased capacity for human-to-human transmission.

The infectious agents for these quarantinable VHFs are:

Lassa virus – an arenavirus that causes Lassa fever (LF)
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus – a bunyavirus that causes CCHF
Orthoebolavirus (formally Ebolavirus) and Orthomarburgvirus) (formally Marburgvirus) – filoviruses. These will be referred to as Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Marburg virus disease (MVD) for this guide.

Similar principles may also be used for management of less common VHFs, although specific transmission patterns, clinical presentation and treatment approaches may differ.

Audience

This guide is intended for use by health services in Victoria, especially non-designated health services and primary care clinics. Designated health services (The Royal Melbourne Hospital and The Royal Children’s Hospital) have internal protocols for VHF.

Governance

A suspected or confirmed case of VHF is considered a health emergency in Victoria. The State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP), Health Emergencies Sub-Plan (HESP) sets out the arrangements for managing health emergencies. The HESP outlines an integrated and coordinated approach to minimising the impact of emergencies on the health system and protecting the health and wellbeing of Victorians. The plan includes guidance on mitigation, preparedness, response (including relief) and recovery arrangements.

In the instance of VHF, the department would act as the control agency and is responsible for establishing the management arrangements, including a coordinated and integrated health sector response.

VHF is an urgent notifiable condition under the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019. This requires notification from medical practitioners and pathology services of suspected and confirmed cases as soon as practicable and within 24 hours.

VHF is also a listed human disease and nationally notifiable under the Biosecurity Act 2015. As an LHD, VHF may be suspected at a port of entry (see Non-designated health services on VHF preparedness in designated and non-designated health services and primary care).

The Public health actions for VHF are to be undertaken in accordance with the Victorian Public Health Network VHF Disease Control Guidelines by the department and Local Public Health Units (LPHUs).

Roles and responsibilities

The department is the lead control agency in an incident response to a suspected or confirmed case of VHF in accordance with HESP. A single case will trigger an incident response, and the department will:
- lead an Incident Management Team (IMT) to coordinate the response
- work with LPHUs to undertake public health actions, in accordance with the Victorian Public Health Network VHF disease control guideline
- notify the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions
- coordinate provision of relief to impacted persons and communities, including mental health.
LPHUs:
- receive a notification via the 24-hour number (1300 651 160) of a suspected or confirmed case of VHF from a registered medical practitioner or pathology service, as required under the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019
- undertake public health actions, in accordance with the Victorian Public Health Network VHF disease control guideline, and participate in the IMT.
A non-designated health service refers to any hospital or health service not formally identified as a facility for managing VHF cases by the department. These services are not intended to provide ongoing clinical care but may be the first point of health care contact for a case.
This includes:
- recognition and isolation of a suspected case
- implementation of recommended infection prevention and control (IPC) measures (as per this guideline)
- potential collection and transfer of samples
- notification to LPHUs
- arrangement of safe transfer to a designated health service if required
- providing data to the LPHU and the department to allow contact monitoring of staff and others
- undertaking cleaning, disinfection and waste removal if relevant, where there was a confirmed case of VHF (see Infection prevention and control).
A designated health service is a hospital formally identified by the department as capable of receiving, isolating and managing a suspected or confirmed case of VHF. It has appropriate infrastructure, trained staff and established protocols for IPC, laboratory handling and ongoing clinical management of VHF.
This includes:
- ongoing clinical care actions
- notification to LPHUs
- following internal processes
- providing data to the LPHU and the department to allow contact monitoring of staff and others.
Requirements for primary care include:
- recognition and isolation of a suspected case
- implementation of recommended IPC measures (as per this guideline)
- notification to LPHUs
- following advice relating to processes for transfer to an appropriate care facility
- providing data to the LPHU and the department to allow contact monitoring of staff and others
- undertaking cleaning, disinfection and waste removal if relevant, where there was a confirmed case of VHF (see Infection prevention and control).
Requirements for Ambulance Victoria include:
- implementation of recommended IPC measures (see Patient transport)
- providing data to the LPHU and the department to allow contact monitoring of staff and others
- undertaking cleaning, disinfection and waste removal if relevant, where there was a confirmed case of VHF (see Infection prevention and control).
Requirements for VIDRL include:
- receiving samples and conduct testing for VHF, in accordance with the National High Security Quarantine Laboratory Guideline for Management of Quarantinable Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers
- notification to LPHUs.
In the event of handling of clinical specimens of a case of suspected or confirmed VHF, the laboratory must:
- notify LPHUs
- provide information to LPHUs and the department regarding potentially exposed staff
- undertake cleaning, disinfection and waste removal if relevant, in relation to a clinical facility where there was a confirmed case of VHF, according to this guide, any internal plans and Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) guidelines.

Updated 26 February 2026