An outbreak of meningitis has been reported in Hargaysa, the capital of the self-declared independent state of Somaliland, northwest Somalia, according to the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER).
Since 13 October 49 cases of the disease have reported with 6 deaths, said WHO. Laboratory tests have confirmed and identified the disease as Neisseraia meningitides serogroup A, according to the WER. This type of the disease if not controlled quickly can spread rapidly and become an epidemic, "specially in a crowded setting of a city like Hargaysa", a local doctor in Hargaysa, told IRIN on Wednesday.
In order to control the spread of the disease, 19 health facilities have been provided with surveillance and case management guidelines and local crisis committee has been activated, said WER. Local health authorities, WHO, UNICEF and nongovernmental organizations in the area are monitoring the situation.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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