Acute diarrhea kills seven people in Bardhere

Seven people among them four children have died from acute watery diarrhea (AWD) in Bardhere town Southern Somalia.

One of the doctors working at Bardhere hospital, Sharma’arke Mohamed Sharmar’arke said that 21 AWD cases have been reported since Sunday.

“We are trying to support affected people with hygiene kits as well as oral rehydration salts to manage moderate cases in the communities,” said Sharmar’arke.

According to Sharmar’arke, the first case was reported on Saturday, but the number increased on Sunday and Monday.

“The outbreak is serious, almost as bad as one in some years ago,” he said.

Sharmar’arke said cholera outbreak is largely atributed to the mushrooming of unhygienic food and the consumption of dirty water in the town.

“We urge the public to be extra cautious while handling food and to observe high hygienic standards,” he said.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest update on cholera that a total of 7,909 AWD/cholera cases have been reported in 11 regions (38 districts) since the beginning of 2017.

Severe cases are managed in the cholera treatment centers established in Bay and Bayhow hospitals, said the UN.

“In Lower Jubba, Banadir and Bay regions, in areas where partners have access and have been able to mount a response, such as Baidoa town, cases have reduced,” said the UN.

UN surveillance reports show that the epidemic is spreading to inaccessible areas, especially to villages outside Baidoa town and in other inaccessible area in Bakool and in Gedo regions.

“In Bakool region, the most affected districts are Wajid and Burdhuhunle and in Gedo, Garbahaarey district. In these inaccessible areas, the disease is 4.5 more deadly compared to accessible areas where WASH (water, sanitation and hygine) and health services have been provided to the affected communities,” it said.