This update describes the development, status, and activities implemented by the humanitarian community in response to the Acute Watery Diarrhoea outbreak in Somalia. The update follows the structure as proposed in the WHO guidelines for cholera outbreak response.
The report is built on surveillance data that health service providers and NGOs transmit on a weekly basis from health facilities and hospitals in South and Central Somalia.
Highlights
Between 1 January and 11 May, 2007, 30 227 of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) cases were reported from Central and South Zones including 973 related deaths.
In the current week (epidemiological week 19), the reported cases decreased by 24%, in comparison with the previous week (1591 and 2098 respectively).
In comparison with previous epidemiological weeks, the overall Case Fatality Rate (CFR) continues to decrease from 4.30% in epidemiological week 14, to 1.26% in the current week.
Overall, Banader region reported 40% (11 960) cases, including 17% (161) of the total related deaths. However, the trend shows a sharp decrease in the reported cases in the last epidemiological weeks.
Although Middle Juba and Bakool regions reported only 3% (927) and 1% (363) of the total reported cases, they reported the highest CFR 6.36% and 10.7% respectively.
Somaliland Ministry of Health and Labour (MOH&L) stated that between 4 April and 11 May 2007, 100 cases of AWD were reported from 5 districts in Hargeisa.