BAIDOA – At least 69 people have been confirmed dead in Awdiinle village near Baidoa town of Bay region of southern Somalia following an outbreak of cholera.
The outbreak of the epidemic is linked to the shortage of water in the region as most of the boreholes dried up as the drought continues to ravage most parts of the country.
Abdullahi Mohamed omar the Head Administration of Awdinle village said 69 people died of the disease as over fifthly others are recuperating from the disease.
Abdullahi is worried that the villager could be just as vulnerable to the outbreak due to lack of sufficient medicines and hospitals in the area.
Cholera, a highly contagious intestinal infection, is transmitted by water soiled by human waste.
After a short incubation period of two to five days, the disease causes severe diarrhoea, draining the body of its water. The sudden and dramatic loss of fluid is often fatal.
Meanwhile, Somalia is facing its worst drought in decades. The humanitarian crisis has hit many regions in Southern, Central and Northern Somalia with many people needing emergency aid.
