At least three children have died in a diarrhoeal disease outbreak in Galgadud region, where dozens of others have been hospitalized in the past week. The children died in Elshil village, where dozens of people fleeing the conflict in Elbur district have been living since last month.
Elsewhere in Galgadud region, at least 19 people have been hospitalized in Abudwaq district after an outbreak of diarrhoeal disease in an internally displaced people’s (IDP) camp in the district. Dr Hassan Elmi in Abudwaq told Radio Ergo’s local reporter that most of the patients were children, elderly people and women.
He linked the outbreak to the consumption of contaminated water as the ‘jilal’ dry season intensifies. Elmi warned of the possibility that the disease could spread to other camps and villages, where dozens of people fleeing the government forces’ operation against al-Shabaab have settled.
Recent fighting between the government troops backed by African Union forces against Al-Shabaab has increased the number of displaced people in the region.
