Cholera death toll hits 60 in Somalia amid new cases of infection

Somalia’s cholera outbreak has intensified, with 60 deaths and nearly 5,000 new cases reported in the last three months, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed.

The current surge brings the infection rate to a critical level, with a case fatality rate of 1.2 percent.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms the outbreak’s escalation, noting that this year’s number of cases is three times the average of the previous three years. The persistent spread of cholera has been a significant health concern in Somalia since 2017.

The world health Organisation added that the reported cases, 2,503, or 51 percent, were female, underscoring the vulnerability of women to cholera infection.

UNICEF said among these cases, 3,054, or 62 percent, were classified as severe, indicating the gravity of the illness. It also said some 2,940 cases, or 59 percent, were children under five years of age, underscoring the heightened risk faced by this age group.

Earlier this week, the United Nations launched a global initiative to distribute over 1.2 million cholera test kits to Somalia and 13 other high-risk countries in the coming months.

The UN health body described cholera as an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.

Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.