Guys, why aren't we talking about the Coronavirus?

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

22 June 2020: Update on COVID-19 in Somalia.

> New cases confirmed today: 33
> Puntland: 21
> Somaliland: 7
> Galmudug: 5

> Male: 30
> Female: 3
> Recovery: 36
> Death: 0
------------------------------------
Total confirmed cases: 2,812
Total recoveries: 818
Total deaths: 90

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
WhatsApp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Somalia: COVID-19 Impact Update No. 9 (As of 22 June 2020)

The high COVID-19 caseload in Somalia is straining the country’s fragile health care system. Partners report that the number of people visiting health centres for routine care has significantly dropped due to fear of contracting the virus as well as lack of public transport or other means to access facilities. Furthermore, 133 health workers have been infected across the country, affecting service delivery at various health care facilities. The virus, WHO has warned, could overshadow and potentially reverse recent health gains in the country.

Banadir region accounts for the highest numbers: 1,402 out of 2,779 cases reported as of 22 June while Hirshabelle State has the lowest numbers, 23 cases and one death. In recent days, the number of reported cases has shown a decreasing trend as compared to the previous weeks except in Somaliland. A downward trend in COVID-19-related mortality has also been observed. However, despite signs that the virus spread may be slowing down in Mogadishu City and major urban centres, cases have continued to grow at the regional level as transmission spreads.

To mitigate community transmission, authorities issued directives aimed at stemming the advance of the virus.
Between 5 and 14 June, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Galmudug and Puntland states announced three new directives; bringing to 60 the total number of directives issued by authorities in Somalia to control the spread of COVID19 since 16 March. The new directives include the extension of the suspension of domestic flights by the Somali Civil Aviation Authority until 30 June and the directive by the Puntland COVID-19 Prevention Committee to reinstate preventive and social distancing measures following a relaxation on 18 May due to the Eid festival. The Galmudug State Ministry of Education also gave a directive to open primary schools for grade eight students from 15 June and the commencement of examinations on 11 July, providing guidance on spacing of sitting arrangements, handwashing protocols, the role of the COVID-19 committee and other related measures.

As of 14 June, 57 directives are in place while three have been rescinded. Of these, 33 relate to social distancing, closure of academic institutions and restriction of population movement; six impose suspensions on international, domestic passenger flights and restrict land transportation; nine relate to border closure; six impose night curfews; one directs tax exemption on basic food items; two relate to education and two relate to registration of burial activities and deceased persons. The spread and impact of COVID-19 has exacerbated existing socio-economic vulnerabilities at a time that Somalia is grappling with floods and desert locusts, creating a triple threat.

Source

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

How a Somali community took on a Minnesota meatpacking plant to contain a Covid-19 outbreak

Six years ago, then 27-year-old Nimo Ibrahim started her new job deboning chickens at Pilgrim’s Pride in Cold Spring, Minnesota. For the young Somali refugee and single mother of three, the job was a lifeline as she had no other skills.

But she never considered the work “essential,” or one that could put her life at grave risk.

On April 23, Nimo showed up for her usual night shift, but things at the plant were far from usual; she had begun hearing about sick co-workers. News reports warned about coronavirus outbreaks in meatpacking plants throughout the US. She arrived feverish that night, with a headache, and, despite a temperature screening, was still allowed to join the line and work.

Shortly after midnight, she reported she was too sick to continue working and was escorted out of the plant. Test results two weeks later confirmed her fears. She had tested positive for Covid-19.

Nimo was one of the nearly 200 confirmed coronavirus cases at Pilgrim’s Pride. While she stayed home to recover, things took a dramatic turn at the plant. Workers staged a walkout and later joined residents in Stearns County, where the plant is located, in a protest outside the plant. The plant employs 1,100 people and “about 80% of the workers are Somali immigrants,” says Mohammed Goni, a staff organizer for the Greater Minnesota Worker Center, a St. Cloud-based nonprofit that assists low-wage workers and helped organize the rally with Pilgrim’s Pride employees.

Recognizing the plant’s role as a mass employer in the community, Goni and other Somali-Americans in the area quickly rallied behind the workers. There were concerns about community spread.

“Pilgrim’s Pride workers are in the community and some of them are living with three to four other folks and they are working in other plants,” said Goni.

Minnesota’s chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group, demanded an investigation of the plant by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “We got state leaders to hear employee testimonies on what was happening at the plant,” said Jaylani Hussein, a Somali-American and executive director of CAIR Minnesota.

Employees admonished the plant for letting sick workers continue to work; they called for the plant to shut down temporarily for cleaning and demanded coronavirus testing for all workers.

Continue to read

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

23 June 2020: Update on COVID-19 in Somalia.

> New cases confirmed today: 23
> Somaliland: 18
> Banaadir: 5

> Male: 18
> Female: 5
> Recovery: 11
> Death: 0
------------------------------------
Total confirmed cases: 2,835
Total recoveries: 829
Total deaths: 90

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
WhatsApp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

24 June 2020: Warbixinta COVID-19 ee Soomaaliya.

> Laga Helay: 25
> Somaliland: 17
> Banaadir: 7
> Koonfur Galbeed: 1

> Lab: 19
> Dhedig: 6
> Bogsasho: 8
> Dhimasho: 0
--------------------------------
> Tirada Guud Laga Helay: 2,860
> Bogsashada Guud: 837
> Dhimashada Guud: 90

Kala soco wixii faah-faahin dheeraad ah:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
Whatsapp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

 

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Somali artists use art to spread COVID-19 awareness

Artists in Horn of Africa country fight misinformation, rumors and stigma surrounding coronavirus pandemic

MOGADISHU, Somalia 

On her balcony in a small apartment in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, Nujuum Hashi Ahmed is concentrating on a new painting that springs from the depths of her imagination.

Armed with sheer originality, she moves a paintbrush across a piece of canvas, her hands slightly stained with paint, her focus always is to bring real-life looking characters to life using her pieces of art … Today she has completed a painting of herself with boxing gloves punching the coronavirus.

The young and famous Somali painter contracted coronavirus in Mogadishu. She does not know how she caught the disease but she attributes it to her community not being serious about measures that the government has imposed to curb the spread of the infectious virus.

“I don’t know how I got infected, I had to lock myself in my small apartment for a very long time which was a challenging time. During that time I made two pieces of art, the first one was of me taking care of myself with home remedies, the other drawing I did was me fighting and punching the coronavirus … literally boxing it,” she told Anadolu Agency.

Nujuum is saddened by how the Somali people are dealing with COVID-19 and believes they could do more to tackle the pandemic. She has observed that people are not taking the measures put in place seriously and lack information on the disease.

“If somebody wears a face mask, everyone is looking at them saying they have the coronavirus, it is like stigmatizing them, telling them “you are wrong,” yet these are people who are doing the right thing, this is something that really sickens me a lot.”

“It is really depressing to see the people behaving the way they are behaving here in Mogadishu, people are really careless about this pandemic, you see the restaurants and places where people meet are still open, friends are hugging, shaking hands and walking around … You see markets are full of people buying and selling stuff … you see young people having coffee and sitting very close to each other, they are not even thinking about the problem that the disease is causing … it really disturbs me.”

Since the start of the outbreak, Somalia has confirmed 2,878 coronavirus cases with 90 recorded deaths. A total of 868 people have recovered from the disease in the Horn of Africa country, according the official figures.

A COVID-19 survivor, Nujuum is using her art to spread awareness about how deadly the disease is and how to avoid it across Somalia.

The European Union has stepped in to help Somalis in different genres of art to raise awareness about the disease throughout the country. The painter believes that with so many illiterate Somalis, this is the best way for artists to tackle COVID-19.

“Art reaches many more people. In the Somali community, a majority of people do not know how to read or write, so they need art to understand how dangerous this problem is. We are sending the message to all Somalis both educated and not educated, including the ones who cannot hear but see. We will work hard to spread this message to our people.”

In a statement the EU Delegation in Somalia said that it joined hands with young Somali artists to create awareness about the outbreak in the country.

Affirming their support in a statement, the EU in Somalia said that “Somali youth and artists have a crucial role to play in the Covid response, underlines the EU Ambassador Nicolas Berlanga-Martinez.”

“The fight is not only a fight against Covid-19, it is also a fight against misinformation, rumors, and stigma around the disease. With their voice and talent, youth and artists can share crucial information, within their community but also among their fans, to engage with a large audience in response to the crisis. The EU recognizes this potential and seeks to amplify their voices by displaying and supporting their work.”

Somali musicians have released numerous songs promoting social distancing, wearing of face masks among many other measures. Other artists across Mogadishu who spoke to Anadolu Agency lauded the move and promised to spread the message to every corner of the country.

Somalia has been described as a powder keg waiting to explode with one of the worst COVID-19 measures put in place in the African continent.

COVID-19 has affected livelihoods of thousands of Somalis who are battling calamities such as a health crisis and acute food shortages due to pre-existing climatic shocks, including floods and droughts, leaving communities vulnerable to the disease.

TRT World

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

25 June 2020: Update on COVID-19 in Somalia.

> New cases confirmed today: 18
> Benadir: 11
> Somaliland: 6
> South West: 1

> Male: 16
> Female: 2
> Recovery: 31
> Death: 0
------------------------------------
Total confirmed cases: 2,878
Total recoveries: 868
Total deaths: 90

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
WhatsApp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

28 June 2020: Update on COVID-19 in Somalia.

> New cases confirmed today: 16
> Benadir: 6
> Somaliland: 6
> Jubbaland: 4

> Male: 11
> Female: 5
> Recovery: 19
> Death: 0
------------------------------------
Total confirmed cases: 2,894
Total recoveries: 887
Total deaths: 90

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
WhatsApp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

11-year-old boy wins US$1,000 in Somali-language COVID-19 video competition

The winners of a two-month Somali-language COVID-19 video competition were finally revealed online today, with the US$1,000 first prize going to a short video on some of the best ways to avoid infection produced by a schoolboy in Qardho, Puntland and his older sister.

Abdijabar Dahir and his sister made the video while he was stuck at home after COVID-19 forced local schools to close. Instead of going outside to play with friends – and so risk bringing the virus back to his elderly grandparents at home – Abdijabar decided to make this video to show other children how to stay safe.

Organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the competition was launched so that people of all ages could use their creative talents to help spread accurate COVID-19 information online, both within Somalia and among Somali-speaking communities abroad.

Entrants were asked to send short videos on how to prevent the disease, based on up-to-date information provided on the country’s first Somali-language COVID-19 website: www.kahortagacorona.gov.so. More than 20 videos were submitted from across Somalia. They were assessed by three celebrity judges – cartoonist Amin Amir, musician Aar Maanta and poet Naima Abwaan Qorane – based on the number of views and shares as well as their artistic flair.

“I was impressed by the creativity and the energy of young people who took part in this competition,” said Naima Abwaan Qorane. “Although, the competition has now finished, more people are watching the videos and benefiting from the health messages they carry. It has generated important online discussion and we should continue to spread the word until we defeat this deadly virus.”

“Thanks to the entries in this competition, which have been seen by almost 1 million people on our Facebook page alone, UNDP has been able to reach new audiences with potentially life-saving advice on COVID-19,” said Jocelyn Mason, Resident Representative for UNDP Somalia. “Our fantastic judges helped push the message out even further and we are very grateful for their support throughout.”

The winner of the US$1,000 first prize was a young boy and his siblings who showed how people can protect themselves from the virus through simple actions like washing hands with soap for 20 seconds. The video also taught people how to produce homemade facemasks.

The second prize of UD$500 was won by the story of a couple who had to cancel their wedding due to the coronavirus, while third place and US$300 went to a movie on how the virus can disproportionately affect disabled people.

Xigasho

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

29 June 2020: Update on COVID-19 in Somalia.

> New cases confirmed today: 10
> Puntland: 9
> Somaliland: 1

> Male: 7
> Female: 3
> Recovery: 23
> Death: 0
------------------------------------
Total confirmed cases: 2,904
Total recoveries: 910
Total deaths: 90

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
WhatsApp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

 

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

30 June 2020: Update on COVID-19 in Somalia.

> New cases confirmed today: 20
> Somaliland: 18
> Banaadir: 1
> Jubbaland: 1

> Male: 18
> Female: 2
> Recovery: 22
> Death: 0
------------------------------------
Total confirmed cases: 2,924
Total recoveries: 932
Total deaths: 90

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
WhatsApp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Wasiirka Wasaaradda Caafimaadka DFS, HE Dr. Fawsiya Abiikar Nuur ayaa maanta kula wareegtay munaasabad ka dhacday Isbitaalka Hooyada & Dhallaanka Banaadir agab caafimaad oo loogu tala galay ka hortagga caabuqa COVID-19 oo ka timid Hay’adda IRC.

HE Wasiir Fawsiya iyo Agaasime Fartuun ayaa uga mahadceliyay Hay’adda IRC agabkan muhiim ka ah oo ay soo gaarsiiyeen isbitaal Banaadir.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

05 July 2020: Update on COVID-19 in Somalia.

> New cases confirmed today: 36
> Banaadir: 12
> Puntland: 11
> Somaliland: 10
> Jubbaland: 3

> Male: 31
> Female: 5
> Recovery: 41
> Death: 0
------------------------------------
Total confirmed cases: 2,997
Total recoveries: 1,014
Total deaths: 92

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.moh.gov.so
Dashboard: www.moh.gov.so/en/covid19
WhatsApp: bit.ly/MoHSomalia

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Wasaaradda Caafimaadka & Daryeelka Bulshada DFS ayaa ka taageertay Wasarada Caafimaadka DGGM hirgelinta sheybaar cusub oo lagu baaro caabuqa COVID-19 (GeneXpert) kaaso ka shaqa bilaabay Magaalada Dhuusamareeb. Shaqaalaha ka shaqaynaya shaybaarkan aya horay loogu tababaray ka shaqeynta baartiaanka caabuqa COVID-19.

Sheybaarkani cusub ayaa wax weyn ka tari doona in laga baaro caabuqa COVID-19 iyo in ay jawaabaha baaritaanka deg-deg u helaan bulshooyinka ku nool deeganadaasi.

Sidoo kale waxaa isbuucan hawl gali doono shaybaaro ku kalayaala Jowhar iyo Baladweyne.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

06 July 2020: Warbixinta COVID-19 ee Soomaaliya.

> Laga Helay: 9
> Banaadir: 5
> Somaliland: 3
> Jubbaland: 1

> Lab: 8
> Dhedig: 1
> Bogsasho: 37
> Dhimasho: 0
--------------------------------
> Tirada Guud Laga Helay: 3,006
> Bogsashada Guud: 1,051
> Dhimashada Guud: 92