Yemen's suspected cholera cases soar to 1,410 within weeks -WHO

Record ID: 83666

  • Title: Yemen's suspected cholera cases soar to 1,410 within weeks -WHO
  • Date: 28th October 2016
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS BUILDING U.N. BRIEFING ONGOING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) SPOKESMAN, TARIK JASAREVIC, SAYING: "On October 6, the Ministry of Health has declared the outbreak of cholera. Latest figures I got this morning is that the number of cases is increasing, and that there are, as of 27th of October, 1,410 suspected cholera cases, in 10 out of Yemen's 23 governorates, mostly in Taiz, Aden, Lahj, Hodeida and Sanaa." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP) SPOKESWOMAN, BETTINA LUESCHER, SAYING: "We appeal to the world to help us do our job on the ground; we appeal to the fighting sides that humanitarians can get access to more areas. You know that the situation is complicated also, infrastructure has been damaged, ports have been damaged, it is difficult to get aid in, so any help we can get is highly appreciated." JOURNALISTS UNITED NATIONS BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 12th November 2016 12:58
  • Keywords: Yemen cholera WHO Sanaa World Health Organization
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Government/Politics,United Nations
  • Reuters ID: LVA00155X6LON
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:The number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen has ballooned to 1,410 within three weeks of the outbreak being declared, the World Health Organization said on Friday (October 28), as 18 months of war has destroyed most health facilities and clean water supplies.
    Yemen's Health Ministry announced the outbreak on Oct. 6 in Sanaa city, and by Oct. 10 the WHO said there were 24 suspected cases. The following day, a WHO official in Yemen said there was "no spread of the disease".
    But on Friday, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told a Geneva news briefing that as of Thursday there were 1,410 suspected cholera cases in 10 out of Yemen's 23 governorates - mostly in Taiz, Aden, Lahj, Hodeida and Sanaa.
    The conflict between a Saudi Arabia-led coalition and the Iran-aligned Houthi group which controls much of northern Yemen, including Sanaa, has destroyed much of Yemen's infrastructure, killed more than 10,000 people and displaced millions.
    Cholera is only one risk in Yemen's war but a rapid advance of the disease would add a new dimension to the humanitarian disaster which UNICEF says has left 7.4 million children in need of medical help and 370,000 at risk of severe acute malnutrition.
    To face this situation, the World Food Programme has already diminished the size of food rations to provide less food to more people, and is now reaching 6 million people a month which is twice as many as months before. But the organisation is constrained in providing more food due to a lack of funding and access.
    "We appeal to the world to help us do our job on the ground; we appeal to the fighting sides that humanitarians can get access to more areas. You know that the situation is complicated also, infrastructure has been damaged, ports have been damaged, it is difficult to get aid in, so any help we can get is highly appreciated," WFP spokeswoman Bettina Luescher said.
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