23 August 2018 – The Ministry of Health of Somalia has announced 39 new cases of cholera, including no associated deaths for week 33 (13 to 19 August) of 2018. 72% of new cases are 5 years and below. There has been a decreasing trend of newly reported cases for the past five consecutive weeks, and no new deaths were reported since week 32. The cumulative total of cases is 6169, including 41 associated deaths (case-fatality rate 0.7%) since the beginning of the current outbreak in December 2017. Of 260 stool samples collected since the beginning of this year, 79 have tested positive for Vibrio cholerae, serotype O1 Ogawa. This week 13 samples were collected and all were found negative.
This week, active transmission was reported in two regions: 10 districts in Banadir, and Kismayo district in Lower Jubba. 79.5% of cases (31) were reported in Banadir, and 8 cases in Lower Jubba. Banadir hospital has admitted the highest number of cholera admissions in the country, with 2453 admitted cases since the beginning of the outbreak.
WHO provides leadership and support for activities with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to respond to this outbreak and the floods. Coordination meetings were held in the flood-affected districts with MoHs at Federal and State levels to effectively collaborate with health cluster partners.
WHO supports disease surveillance system in Somalia managed by the Early Warning Alert and Reponse Network (EWARN), which contributes to early detection, notification and investigation of cholera cases. WHO has also continued to support clinical care delivery, including supervision and monitoring of case management in cholera treatment centers such as Banadir hospital, Afgoya hospital, and cholera treatment centers (CTCs) in Merka. On-the-job trainings for health workers were also conducted in Kismayo, Farjano, Banadir and Merka.
WHO also works with WASH cluster partners on chlorination of water source in affected areas Hnati-wadaag and Bulo-Sheigh, Farjano, Allenley and Fanole. A total of 1500 hygiene kits took place in Kismayo.
