Somalia:Quarantined man in Puntland dies in suspected case of COVID-19

BY: Hiiraanonline

 A man who was in quarantine in Garowe upon arrival from Ethiopia has passed on, authorities have said amid fears the patient may have succumbed to the deadly COVID-19.

Assistant Garowe General Hospital Director, Dr. Mohamud Abdirashid confirmed the death of the patient but did not link his death to the global pandemic.

Dr. Abdirashid said the hospital was awaiting test results to confirm if the patient had been infected.

VIDEO: .@MoH_Somalia, @WHOSom kindly confirm if this case is authentic. An individual in isolation has died of #COVIDー19 related symptoms in #Garowe, #Puntland. #Somalia pic.twitter.com/yOgzGruN2o

— Abdulaziz (@AbdulBillowAli) March 29, 2020

The patient whose identity has not be disclosed is reported to have arrived from Ethiopia recently and was isolated after he presented mild fever and coughing symptoms which have since been linked to coronavirus which causes COVID-19.

Somalia currently does not have COVID-19 testing centres and relies on WHO run testing centres in Kenya. Health Minister Dr. Fawziya Abikar said Saturday the country was expecting to have the first testing centre and equipment ready in 21 days.

Somalia has since confirmed three cases of COVID-19 with the latest being a foreign national who works as a UN contractor. The UN in Somalia (UNSOM) said the patient had been on quarantine for eight days prior.