On August 17th, health officials are reporting increasing rates of diarrheal illnesses in various regions of Somalia. Cholera outbreaks have also been identified in the Banaadir region (including the capital city, Mogadishu), Lower Shabeelle and Mudug regions. Cholera is a severe diarrheal disease transmitted directly through contaminated food or water. Cholera usually affects populations lacking good sanitation or clean drinking water. In order to minimize risks, it is recommended to wash hands thoroughly before meals, and to use uncontaminated water.
Somalia has been without a functioning government since 1991 and violence has spread since then. Islamist insurgents are in control of most of the southern part of the country. Somalia is considered as one of the most dangerous country in the world: insecurity is rampant and no area can be considered as immune from violence.
Conditions in Somalia are extremely dangerous. Due to the general internal insecurity caused by the civil war along with dangerous levels of criminal activity, western embassies advise their citizens against all travel to Somalia. The risk of kidnapping and attack directed against foreigners remains extremely high.