Puntland recorded approximately eight cases of COVID-19 and at least one fatality due to the virus by May 2, 2020, though Puntland officials believed the actual number of COVID-19 infections to be much higher.[2][3] Puntland is the region of Somalia with the third highest number of COVID-19 cases, after Banaadir and the de facto Republic of Somaliland, as of May 25, 2020.[1]
Timeline
March 2020
Puntland officials initially declined to close mosques when COVID-19 cases were confirmed in other regions of Somalia in March 2020.[4]
May 2020
By May 2020, several Puntland government ministers and advisors to President of PuntlandSaid Abdullahi Dani had tested positive for COVID-19.[1] Puntland Health Minister Jama Farah Hassan stated that two Puntland government ministers had tested positive by May 8, 2020.[3][5]
Puntland's Minister of Commerce Abdullahi Abdi Hirsi first reported eye pain, a possible symptom of COVID-19, on May 6, 2020.[6] He sought treatment and was diagnosed with the COVID-19 on May 9, 2020.[6] Hirsi had recently toured flood damage in Qardho, where he believes he might have contracted the virus.[6]
On May 25, 2020, the Agricultural Ministry announced the death of Puntland's Minister of Agriculture, the Environment, and Climate Change Ismail Gamadiid due to COVID-19.[1] Gamadiid had contracted the coronavirus in Puntland, but had been transferred to a hospital in Mogadishu for treatment for several weeks.[1][7]