Cholera Outbreak in Somalia Continues

The Cholera outbreak that first hit Somalia in December of 2017 is continuing to ramp up and as of March 18th of this year, has reached 1,613 cases including nine deaths. Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that is transmitted by consumption of food or water contaminated with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. The outbreak started in Beletweyne, Hiraan Region. Somalia has experienced several outbreaks in the past in regions such as Juba which borders Kenya. It seems that the decreased access to clean water and proper sanitation in the setting of war and famine across these regions have played an instrumental role in perpetuating cholera outbreaks. To read more about the outbreak, click here.