14 April 2019 – The Ministry of Health of Somalia has announced 30 new suspected cases of cholera, with no deaths, for epidemiological week 15 (8 to 14 April) in 2019. The cumulative total number of suspected cholera cases since the beginning of this outbreak in December 2017 is 7063, including 46 associated deaths. 

Of the 30 cases reported during week 15, 57% are children below 5 years of age, and none received Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) in 2018/19 campaigns. Internally Displaced People in Banadir are the most affected, due to limited access to safe water and sanitation in their surroundings.

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 campaigns.

Since the beginning of 2019, 9 of 103 stool samples collected and tested in the National Public Heatlh Laboratory in Mogadishu came back positive for V. Cholerae, serotype O1 Ogawa by culture.

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 Electronic Early Warning Alert and Response Network (EWARN) system with the support of WHO and is currently being expanded to all health facilities across the country. WHO and the Ministry of Health continue to monitor outbreak trends through the EWARN system and promptly investigate and respond to all alerts. The Ministry of Health is planning to implement OCV campaigns in ten districts within Mogadishu and surrounding areas.