05 May 2019 – The Ministry of Health of Somalia has announced 47 new suspected cases of cholera, with no deaths, for epidemiological week 18 (28 April to 5 May) in 2019. The cumulative total number of suspected cholera cases since the beginning of this outbreak in December 2017 is 7187, including 46 associated deaths. Active transmission is ongoing in 16 districts in Banadir, with Hodan district reporting 79% of cases.

Of the 47 cases reported during week 18, 64% are children below 5 years of age and 40% are female. All reported cases had never received Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV). 

The cholera outbreak has been contained in the districts of Jubaland, Hirshabelle and South West States following implementation of control and preventive measures in these areas including OCV. 

Between weeks 8-18, 10 of 120 stool samples collected and tested in the National Public Heatlh Laboratory in Mogadishu came back positive for V. Cholerae, serotype O1 Ogawa by culture. In week 18 all 6 samples that were tested came back negative.

WHO continues to provide leadership and support to the health authorities and partners to scale up the activities to mitigate the impact of the cholera outbreak. The disease surveillance system is managed through the Early Warning Alert and Response Network (EWARN) system with the support of WHO and the system is currently being expanded to all health facilities across the country. WHO and the Ministry of Health continue to monitor outbreak trends through the system and promptly investigate and respond to all alerts.