The Greater Horn of Africa region has recorded a surge in disease outbreaks following the recent heavy rains that caused massive flooding, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in East Africa said in a report released on Thursday, May 30, Xinhua reports. According to IGAD, the diseases with recorded outbreaks include cholera, malaria, measles, dengue, yellow fever, polio and anthrax, all of which are directly linked to extreme climate events. ALSO READ: Floods death toll in Kenya rises to 238 as heavy rains continue Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda are responding to cholera outbreaks, exacerbated by recent floods. In Ethiopia, 14,632 cases and 114 related deaths were reported from 90 areas across 11 regions between Jan. 1 and April 28, the regional trade bloc said. The institution observed that all seven Greater Horn of Africa countries, namely Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda, are grappling with increased malaria cases. Similarly, the bloc said measles outbreaks were active across the countries, with Ethiopia recording 20,580 cases and 162 related deaths as of the end of April, and Somalia reporting 360 suspected cases. On the other hand, four countries, including Kenya, are responding to dengue, while yellow fever is active in South Sudan. About 74.9 million people in the region are highly food insecure following the flooding and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, according to IGAD and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
