Coronavirus: Somali minister dies day after testing positive
Justice Minister of Hirshabelle State, Khalif Mumin Tohow, has died of coronavirus after testing positive to the virus.
The minister who died today in Mogadishu’s Martini hospital, was tested positive for the virus yesterday.
His death makes it the second death from the country since the emergence of the pandemic.
Ali Gudlawe Hussein, Vice President of Hirshabelle, confirmed his death to the media on Sunday April 12, 2020.
According to local media, Mumin travelled to the U.K. in February before he came back to the horn of Africa nation.
He was transported to Mogadishu last week from his duty station in Jowhar town, the capital of Hirshabelle State, 90 km north of the Somali capital, following his illness.
Mumin was admitted at De Martino Hospital in the city where patients with serious symptoms of Covid-19 are quarantined and treated.
“In Mogadishu the state minister tested positive for coronavirus,” Somali Ministry of Health said in a statement last week.
Somali President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, stated on Sunday that his government had a limited capacity to deal with Covid-19.
“Somalia is recovering from years of conflict in the sphere of economy and health sector,” said President Farmaajo in a widely broadcasted message.
“Despite our low health response capacity, we are going to do our utmost,” he added.
The country has 21 coronavirus cases, including several government employees.
