Cholera outbreak has claimed 289 lives, 875 infected in Somalia since January

At least 289 people in Somalia have been killed by a cholera outbreak since the beginning of the year, as medics step up efforts to prevent the disease from spreading amid a drought ravaging various parts of the country, Goobjoog News investigations detail.

The severe drought in Somalia has caused the depletion of main water sources and as result, many communities have been force to rely on dirty water collected from untreated boreholes.

The investigations mapped out close to 20 towns in different regional states that are currently reporting cases of cholera outbreak.

The latest statistics of deaths and admissions since January this year from hospitals in Hirshabelle, Galmudug, Puntland, Southwest, Jubbaland, Somaliland states indicate that the spread and impact of the disease has doubled.

The cholera surveillance report revealed that the highest number of cases is being reported among people above 46 years old, followed by those between six and a year.

Hospitals in Hirshabelle state have recorded a death toll of 130. Another 150 patients are currently admitted in a special ward at Jowhar hospital suffering from the disease.

The medics Jowhar say the disease was first reported two months ago from and now almost every village in Middle Shabelle region is affected.

A total of 270 people had been infected with cholera in Jubbaland State, a figure that is expected to rise as the outbreak is most severe in the inaccessible villages especially most of Middle Jubba region controlled by Al-Shabaab militants.

Medical officers at Kismaayo Hospital who spoke to Goobjoog News said the number was likely to increase because more patients with the symptoms are being admitted.

In southwest state, 80 people have died while 225 others have been admitted to various hospitals following a cholera outbreak in Baay and Bakool region.

Puntland and the breakaway Somaliland also recorded 200 cases of cholera each.