Somalilandsun – The Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)/Cholera outbreak was first declared in Somaliland, Maroodijeh region, in December 2023 then spread to other regions of Somaliland and Puntland.
From January to 24th March 2024, 32 districts were affected within more than 08 regions of both Somaliland and Puntland. [Source 1]. The Red Cross launched an IFRC-DREF operation to support the response. The operation was scaled-up in March to help contain the outbreak evolution in Somaliland & in Puntland, based on the gaps highlighted by MoH following the different assessments conducted.
Somaliland
The first suspected AWD outbreak in Somaliland was reported on December 6, 2023, in the Maroodijeh region. From December 2023 to first quater of 2024, the number of reported cases steadily increased, as documented in regular updates from the Ministry of Health and Development (MoHD). The outbreak subsequently spread to other areas, including the Awdal region, Maroodijeh, Awdal, Sahil, Togdheer, Wajaale (Tog-Wajaale, border town between Somaliland and Ethiopia), Hargeisa district (October village).
On February 17 and 18, 2024, 15 suspected AWD/Cholera cases was identified in Wajaale, a border town between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
These cases were reported by SRCS community volunteers through the Nyss Platform and were referred to the Wajaale government hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
Following an investigation by the MoHD, out of the 14 cases tested using Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) and culture analysis, four tested positive for AWD/Cholera via RDT, while three cases were confirmed through culture tests. The case positivity rate was 29% by RDT and 21% by culture. One fatality was reported from the Hargeisa district in early December 2023. The deceased individual, from October village, died in transit before reaching a healthcare facility.
Puntland
Puntland outbreak was reported in February, while the response was already ongoing in Somaliland. The first AWD case in Puntland was reported on February 4, 2024, in Bosaso town and evolution was quick with new cases and fatalities reported by the end of the month.
On February 29, 2024, the outbreak was declared in Bosaso.
As of 24th march, a total of 2,280 cases of AWD/Cholera were recorded in Puntland, including 75 deaths. A significant proportion of these cases were reported in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, where access to clean water and sanitation remains limited.
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Source
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
