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Volunteers have been dispersing supplies to refugee camps
The Red Cross in Somalia says it fears the true number of people suffering from coronavirus is much higher than the official figure of 582.
Somalia is woefully unprepared for a surge in cases.
Its healthcare system has been shattered by three decades of conflict.
Many hospitals lack regular electricity supplies, let alone equipment.
Only about half the population of urban dwellers have access to medical care; the figure drops to 15% for rural areas.
Doctors say people are dying across the country.
Many Somalis will find it impossible to practise prevention measures as they live in overcrowded camps, with no access to clean water or soap.
There are reports that, in some areas, gravediggers are unable to cope with the number of dead.
The International Committee of the Red Cross’s health coordinator for Somalia said there would be a large number of new cases in the coming week.
The director of Madina Hospital in Mogadishu, Dr Mohamed Yusuf, said they didn’t have the resources to deal with the pandemic:
We have prepared places to isolate the sick as well as 20 people – auxiliary nurses – who are being trained. The training is ongoing. But the problem that exists is we don’t have enough equipment to respond to the problem. Today in Mogadishu there is no place that you can say is ready.”
