The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has recorded 20 new cases of polio in Somalia in the last week, the United States' National Public Radio reported Saturday (July 20th).

This brings the total number of cases in the Horn of Africa to 73 so far this year, compared with 59 cases in the rest of the world combined.

The speed of the outbreak has been attributed to the fact that most children in Somalia have not been vaccinated against polio, said Nasir Yusuf, head of the UN Children's Fund's immunisation efforts in eastern and southern Africa. "We have an outbreak in a population that has been quite vulnerable for quite some time."

The Somali government has launched five polio immunisation campaigns since May in response to the outbreak. However, lack of security has hampered vaccination efforts.