According to sources from Somaliland Ministry of Health Development, a person who exhibited the symptoms of COVID-19 in Borama whose test has been sent overseas has passed away.
A high ranking official from the Ministry of Health confirmed to Somaliland Chronicle that deceased person exhibited all the symptoms of coronavirus and that the results were expected tomorrow.
Photos at the burial site showed the body being handled with a degree of caution and almost empty of by people in protective gear.
No other detail about the deceased, including sex, age and if there were in the vulnerable group with preexisting conditions and a course of treatment if any were immediately not available and officials have promised more information when the test results are received.
Although there is no widespread testing in Somaliland, the government has been taking steps to educate the public, ban large public gathering and ban import and sale of khat to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
So far the official mortality rate from COVID-19 in Somaliland is zero.
Update
On May 1st 2020, The Minister of Health Development Hon. Omar Abdillahi Ali has confirmed yesterday’s case to be the first COVID-19 fatality in Somaliland. The Minister stated that the deceased was a local business man with no history of travel.
The Minister also announced three more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Somaliland bringing the total to 9 cases.