COVID-19 cases in Somalia rises to 756 as 34 people test positive

[Deeq A.]

The Somali health ministry on Monday confirmed 34 new cases of a novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 756.

Fawziya Abikar, the health minister said 27 of the latest cases were found in Banadir, an administration area that covers the capital, Mogadishu while 17 others were detected in the regional Puntland state.

Abikar said three patients succumbed to the deadly disease, bringing the total number of fatalities to 35.

She said 17 patients recovered from hospitals in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 61. She said 26 of the latest cases were male while eight others were female.

The latest cases come amid concern about the sharp surge in the number of confirmed cases in Somalia due to the limited capacity to contain the spread of the virus because of the fragile healthcare system.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that if the virus transmission is not slowed down rapidly, the patient surge and increasing demand for health care will overwhelm the country’s fragile health system.

WHO said in its latest report on COVID-19 that Somalia will need to make difficult decisions to balance the overwhelming demands of responding to COVID-19 while maintaining essential health service delivery to prevent health systems from collapse.

Somalia has instituted measures to contain the possible spread of COVID-19 including closing schools, banning large gatherings, and suspending international and domestic passenger flights.

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