MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – Over the past three months, at least 60 individuals have succumbed to cholera, indicating the severity of the outbreak, as reported by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
UNICEF’s latest update issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, reveals a notable surge in cholera cases, with a total of 4,956 new cases recorded, resulting in 60 deaths (a 1.2 percent case fatality rate).
Among the reported cases, 51 percent were female, highlighting the vulnerability of women to cholera infection.
Somalia has been grappling with an ongoing cholera outbreak since 2017, with uninterrupted transmission of the disease.
Factors contributing to the upsurge include El Nino-induced floods at the end of last year, displacing 1.2 million people.
Additionally, Somalia faces challenges such as high population density without access to safe water and proper sanitation, internal and cross-border population movements, and persistent malnutrition levels.
With the upcoming April-June rainy season, there are concerns about a potential increase in cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that this year’s number of reported cases is three times higher than the average for the same period over the past three years.
Of the reported cases this year, 62 percent are classified as severe, with 59 percent affecting children under five years old, indicating the heightened risk for this age group.
Cholera, an acute intestinal infection, spreads through contaminated food and water, often from fecal matter.
The surge in cholera cases is primarily attributed to El Nino-induced floods at the end of 2023, which caused fatalities and displacement.
The outbreak has affected various regions across Somalia, with notable cases reported in multiple cities.
The ongoing outbreak is largely due to limited access to safe water and sanitation facilities.
In response to the outbreak, Somalia has received 1.4 million vials of oral cholera vaccine worth US$2.5 million.
Since January, 4,388 people have been infected, resulting in 54 deaths, with children comprising two-thirds of the fatalities.
This year’s reported cases are three times higher than the average of the past three years.