21 April 2019 – The Ministry of Health of Somalia has announced 41 new suspected cases of cholera, with no deaths, for epidemiological week 16 (15 to 21 April) in 2019. The cumulative total number of suspected cholera cases since the beginning of this outbreak in December 2017 is 7104, including 46 associated deaths. 

Of the 41 cases reported during week 16, 56% 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.

No laboratory samples were collected in week 16, however 9 out of 103 stool samples that have been collected and tested at the National Public Heatlh Laboratory in Mogadishu since the beginning of 2019 have tested 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.