Mum and two children succumb to cholera outbreak in Mudug

A mother and two of her children people have died while 20 others have been admitted in hospital following a cholera outbreak in Dinowda village, Somalia’s central region, Mudug.

The disease that was first reported in Middle Shabelle region some two months ago has now spread to several others region.

Dinowda chief Osman Ali Elmi confirmed the deaths and said others have been admitted to a health centre in the area.

Elmi said the number was likely to rise because more patients with cholera symptoms were being admitted at the centre.

He said lack of water in the area was the leading cause of the disease.

“We have not been supplied with clean drinking water. Most of the people in the region use water from borehole which is contaminated,” said Elmi.

Since the beginning of this year, 200 people have died of the disease in the midst of a drought which humanitarian agencies warn is transforming into a famine.

People and livestock have started dying of hunger and thirsty in remote areas.

Earlier this month, over 100 people died of hunger and diarrhea in 48 hours, according Somali government.

The government declared the drought a national disaster.