Somalia registers record 60 positive Coronavirus cases within two weeks

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The number of positive Coronavirus cases in Somalia exponentially rose to 60, authorities announced on Monday, just barely a fortnight after the Horn of Africa nation recorded its first case in Mogadishu.

In a statement, the health ministry announced 35 new cases, the highest ever to be recorded within a day, further causing anxiety over the level of preparedness in tackling the pandemic.

Of the new cases, 32 were detected in the capital, Mogadishu. Two of the other victims are from Hargeisa, the regional administrative capital of secessionist Somaliland. The last person is also from Somaliland, within Borana town.

According to Dr. Fawziya Abikar, the health minister for Somalia, 52 of the victims are in stable conditions. They are currently receiving treatment from their homes where they are quarantined under the state's surveillance.

However, two patients are undergoing treatment in Martini Hospital, which is the facility equipped to handle the disease while another one is undergoing monitoring at United Nations' Halane Base Camp in Mogadishu, she added.

The rise of the number sharply from 22 comes just a few hours after the state declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Mogadishu. The move, Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheire said, "would stop further spread" since the city is the worst hit.

Last week, Mogadishu Mayor Omar Filish sensationally claimed that "our people are dying. I know many who have succumbed. This is not a joke, just stay at home for your safety". However, he did not provide evidence to back his assertions.

With almost dysfunctional healthcare system in Somalia, authorities are depending on international partners and basic rules to tame the pandemic, which comes at the time the following country is struggling with stability due to persistent inter-clan conflicts and Al-Shabaab menace.

Dr. Fawziya insisted that residents across the country ought to "observe basics such as social distancing and staying at home so that we can easily beat this pandemic".

So far, the government has among others, suspended domestic and international flights, learning in schools besides banning social mass gatherings across the country as primary measures to curb the spread of the disease.

But Forum for National Parties [FNP] which is a conglomerate of six opposition parties, on Monday questioned the government's policy in fighting Coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, the coalition under the leadership of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed asked for more collaboration with regional states, which insisted that "have been left out of the picture".

"The government should increase testing and quarantine centers, reduce taxes on food for the people and collaborate with regional states in fighting the disease," read the statement by the group in part.

Two people among them a regional state minister for HirShabelle have since succumbed to the virus. The first case was of a 58-year-old man who never had traveling history and lived in Mogadishu, authorities said.

Only one person has recovered from the disease. Somalia could embark on mass testing in the coming days after receiving a consignment of medical supplies including testing kits from Alibaba Group under billionaire philanthropist Jack Ma.

Already, over 1.7 million people worldwide have contracted the disease. Of that number, 400,000 have recovered while 102,000 have since died. The US, Spain, Italy, UK, and China are the worst affected.

GAROWE ONLINE