Mogadishu (SD) – A UN COVID 19 report indicates major concerns as the pandemic has disrupted Somalia’s economy and livelihoods, leading to a high market inflation caused by the pandemic.

Since confirmed cases of the virus was reported in Somalia, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in has spiked rapidly rising to 480 as death toll also rose to 26 people including 15 health workers.

There are fears of widespread infections at the congested IDP settlements in Mogadishu where social distancing Impossible.

The most affected region in the country, Banadir has 469 confirmed cases, one in Galmudug another one in Puntland and three in Jubaland.

The self declared region of Somaliland has six confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Apart from Mogadishu, Hargeisa and Garowe, there is no testing capacity, nor isolation and treatment facilities.

The slowdown in business activity has hurt daily-wage earners, casual workers and their families.

Prices of key imported commodities have risen due to lockdown of key supply markets, closure of borders and restrictions on domestic movements.

The UN agencies for Country Preparedness and Response Plan (CPRP) on 23 April requested over $698 million and provided a six-to-nine-month framework for humanitarian and development agencies to adopt their programmes to the changing context as well as scale-up interventions to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.