Yemen has reported 249,900 cases and 861 deaths this year, accounting for 35 percent of the world’s cholera cases and 18 percent of the world’s reported deaths. .
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Yemen bears the “largest burden” of cholera globally since the outbreak began in March.
As of December 1, Yemen has reported 249,900 suspected cholera cases and 861 related deaths this year, the UN agency said in a statement on Monday.
According to the WHO, these figures account for 35% of the world’s cholera cases and 18% of the world’s deaths.
The number of infections and deaths reported in November increased by 37% and 27% compared to the same month in 2023, according to the international health organization.
This year’s increase “is largely due to the latest data” from Yemen, but adjustments have been made to take into account more detailed information from all governorates, the report said.
“Outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera and acute watery diarrhea place further burdens on health systems already under stress in the face of multiple disease outbreaks. “Humanitarian actors are strained in their efforts to meet growing needs due to severe funding shortfalls,” said Arturo Pessigan, WHO Director and Head of Mission in Yemen.
The WHO has announced that it has been forced to close a treatment center in Yemen due to a $20 million funding shortfall.
The UN agency has so far closed 47 diarrhea treatment centers in the poor country and plans to close 17 more by the end of the year. The agency also plans to close 39 more oral rehydration centers by the end of the year.
“Lack of access to safe drinking water, poor community hygiene practices, and limited access to timely treatment further impede prevention and control efforts for this disease,” Pesigan said.
Cholera control in Yemen requires “urgent and comprehensive” interventions, including coordination, surveillance, testing capacity, case management, community engagement efforts, water, sanitation, hygiene and oral cholera vaccination, authorities said. emphasized. He said these interventions require timely and sufficient funding.
According to the World Health Organization, Yemen has experienced sustained cholera transmission for many years, with UNICEF reporting it as the world’s largest outbreak in recent history, with more than 2.5 million cases and 4,000 deaths between 2017 and 2020. There was a huge outbreak.
WHO says there are as many as 4 million people cholera infections occur around the world every year.
