At least 32 people have been killed in an outbreak of cholera in Bosaso, the commercial capital of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, an official of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday.

Cholera is endemic in Somalia, and the current outbreak - which began on 16 April - was caused by contaminated water wells due to flooding after heavy rains in the area.

A cholera treatment centre was set up at Bosaso's general hospital "immediately after the first reported cases", the official told IRIN. A regional cholera task force was activated by the local authorities in collaboration with WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund, Action Africa Hilfe and Medecins Sans Frontieres-Holland.

The WHO official said that by 26 April, there had been 494 cases, with 32 confirmed deaths. He said chlorination activities were in progress, and dispensing facilities for oral rehydration had been set up across the city.

As a result of the rapid response on the part of the relevant agencies, the number of deaths had been mitigated, and "by all accounts the number of cases is in decline, and the situation is under control", the official added.