A second Somalilander has, today, Wednesday, lost his life to COVID-19.

According to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Somaliland, 3 more cases have been discovered bringing the total number of COVID-confirmed cases to 12, 3 of whom have fully recovered. The report did not say how many of the still active cases are in critical condition – if any.

The deceased was a man of advanced age who was a resident of Hargeisa where he passed away.

Today’s casualty was preceded by another in Borama of a man who did not travel outside the country, too, which makes the fear of the spread of the disease and the possibility of a much more undiscovered numbers something of a palpable, terrifying reality.

In neighbouring Somalia, 39 deaths have been recorded and rise of positive-testing cases bringing confirmed COVID-19 cases to 873.

Worldwide, the virus has claimed 263,091 lives. There are 2,253,423 currently infected cases of whom 2% – 48,234 – are said to be in critical conditions.