COVID-19 pandemic in Puntland

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COVID-19 pandemic in Puntland
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationPuntland, Somalia

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed in April 2020 to have reached Puntland, an autonomous state in northeastern Somalia.[1]

Puntland recorded eleven cases of COVID-19 and at least one fatality due to the virus by May 2, 2020, though Puntland officials believed the actual number of COVID-19 infections to be much higher.[2][3] Puntland is the region of Somalia with the second highest number of COVID-19 cases, after Banaadir, as of May 25, 2020.[1]

Timeline

March 2020

Puntland officials initially declined to close mosques when COVID-19 cases were confirmed in other regions of Somalia in March 2020.[4]

April 2020

The first confirmed case and death was reported on 23 April.[5]

May 2020

By 2 May there had been 11 confirmed cases of which one death.[6]

By May 2020, several Puntland government ministers and advisors to President of Puntland Said Abdullahi Dani had tested positive for COVID-19.[1] Puntland Health Minister Jama Farah Hassan stated that two Puntland government ministers had tested positive by May 8, 2020.[3][7] Puntland's Minister of Commerce Abdullahi Abdi Hirsi first reported eye pain, a possible symptom of COVID-19, on May 6, 2020.[8] He sought treatment and was diagnosed with COVID-19 on May 9, 2020.[8] Hirsi had recently toured flood damage in Qardho, where he believes he might have contracted the virus.[8]

By 11 May there had been 84 confirmed cases of which four deaths.[9] A week later the number of confirmed cases had risen to 136.[10]

On May 25, 2020, the Agricultural Ministry announced the death of Puntland's Minister of Agriculture, the Environment, and Climate Change Ismail Gamadiid due to COVID-19.[1] Gamadiid had contracted the coronavirus in Puntland, but had been transferred to a hospital in Mogadishu for treatment for several weeks.[1][11]

September 2020

By mid-September there had been 496 cases of which nine deaths.[12]

February 2021

By 8 February there had been 1182 cases.[13] By 26 February the number of confirmed cases had grown to 1349.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Somalia: Puntland's Minister for Agriculture Dies of Coronavirus in Mogadishu". Menafn. 2020-05-25. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  2. ^ "Puntland and COVID-19: Local Responses and Economic Impact". The Conflict Research Programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  3. ^ a b "Somalia: Puntland ministers contract Covid-19-health minister". Somaliland Standard. 2020-05-08. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  4. ^ "Coronavirus: Muxuu yahay heshiiska ay Culimada iyo maamulka Puntland ka gaareen xiridda Masaajidyada?". BBC Somali Service. 2020-03-24. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  5. ^ "Puntland confirms first death from COVID-19 pandemic". Radio Shabelle. Shabelle Media Network. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Puntland, Somaliland record first COVID-19 deaths as infections surge in Somalia". Garowe Online. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Puntland state ministers test positive for Covid-19". Somali Affairs News. 2020-05-08. Archived from the original on 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  8. ^ a b c "Wasiirka Puntland ee coronavirus laga helay oo BBC-da la hadlay". BBC Somali Service. 2020-05-11. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  9. ^ "Somalia: COVID-19 impact update 5" (PDF). OCHA. 12 May 2020. p. 2. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Somalia: COVID-19 impact update 6" (PDF). OCHA. 18 May 2020. p. 2. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Somalia: Puntland Minister Succumbs to COVID-19". Dalsan Radio. AllAfrica.com. 2020-05-25. Archived from the original on 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  12. ^ "Somalia: COVID-19 impact update 12" (PDF). OCHA. 21 September 2020. p. 1. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  13. ^ Dhaysane, Mohammed (9 February 2021). "Is Somalia ignoring coronavirus pandemic?". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Somalia contemplates lockdown as COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc". Garowe Online. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.