28 January 2018 - The Ministry of Health of Somalia has reported a total of 93 new cases of AWD/cholera and zero associated deaths for week 3 (15 – 21 January). The cumulative total of cases since the beginning of the year stands at 268 suspected cases of cholera and 1 associated death with 0.4% case-fatality rate (CFR). Out of 13 stool samples from suspected patients in Banadir Hospital that were tested at the National Public Health Laboratory in Mogadishu, 2 were positive for Vibrio cholerae, serotype Ogawa. Of these total cases, 47% (127) were reported from eight districts in Banadir region and 53% (141) from Beletweyne district in Hiiran region.
This surge of newly reported cases comes from Banadir and Hiiran regions where 11 districts have been affected. The Ministry of Health, is in coordination with WHO, Health and WASH cluster partners and local medical centres for the planning and implementation of response activities. Cholera treatment centres (CTCs) have been opened in Banadir and Beletweyne Hospitals since the beginning of the year to handle the new AWD/cholera cases.
In addition, rapid response teams and community health workers that were trained in Banadir region have been deployed to the affected communities to provide initial case management, and refer cases to CTCs, where needed. Community health education sessions were conducted in crowded areas of Banadir and Beletweyne regions, and hygienic kits were distributed by WASH cluster partners in Beletweyne.
Somalia experienced a major cholera outbreak in 2017 with 79 172 reported cases and 1159 associated deaths. The main contributing factor was a severe drought brought on by 3 consecutive seasons of poor rainfall, and the drying up of Somalia’s main rivers – the Shebelle and Jubba – that affected communities along the rivers, causing loss of crops and livestock, food and water shortage, and internal population displacement.