Yemen - Cholera outbreak 2024 - 2025

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

UN warns of cholera epidemic in Houthi areas

Apr 16, 2024 at 12:07

The UN expressed concern on Monday about the resurgence of cholera in Yemen, particularly the rapid spread of the disease in areas controlled by the Houthis where more than 11,000 cases and 75 deaths have been recorded since October.

Since October 2023, "we have seen a worrying resurgence of cholera across the country", declared, during a meeting of the Security Council, Edem Wosornu, on behalf of the head of humanitarian operations of the UN, Martin Griffiths, noting that the last outbreak was in 2019.

“The response in government-controlled areas, led by the government with the support of humanitarians, helped slow the spread of the disease and ensure that adequate treatment was available,” she said.

“But since March, we have seen the epidemic spread rapidly in areas controlled by the Houthis,” she said with alarm.

As of April 7, more than 11,000 suspected cases had been recorded there since October, as well as 75 deaths, compared to 3,200 suspected cases in areas controlled by the government, she said, emphasizing the need for a "rapid response ".

“But emergency stocks of essential materials are almost exhausted. And water supply, sanitation and hygiene systems must be urgently strengthened,” she stressed, calling on the international community to 'help.

The UN humanitarian response plan for Yemen for 2024, estimated at $2.7 billion, is currently only 10% funded.

The country has been experiencing a lull since a truce negotiated in April 2022 by the United Nations – officially expired. But in the context of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis have carried out dozens of attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden against ships they consider linked to Israel.

And if the military situation in the country "remains contained compared to before April 2022, we have recently seen an escalation of hostilities on several front lines", noted the United Nations special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg.

With AFP

https://icibeyrouth.com/monde/334999

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

In Yemen, Houthis deny the cholera epidemic

Victoria C. Werling
August 9, 2024 at 5:33 p.m.
...
Obstruction of humanitarian aid, lack of health and medical infrastructure... in an interview with Ici Beyrouth, Ahmed Benchemsi, director of advocacy and communications for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) division of Human Rights Watch (HRW), looks back at the causes and consequences of the cholera epidemic currently affecting Yemen.

Nearly 95,000 suspected cases of cholera have been reported in Yemen in the past six months. How can such a figure be explained?

According to our sources within the Yemen Health Cluster, which is a group of humanitarian and charitable organizations, under the leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO), there are in fact approximately 95,000 suspected cases of cholera today in Yemen and more than 250 deaths from the disease. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, by September, the number of contaminations could reach 255,000 cases. Deaths are therefore also likely to accelerate.

Cholera is widely spread through water and unwashed fruits and vegetables. Yet Yemen is only just emerging from nearly a decade of civil war during which much of the country’s medical, sanitation and water treatment infrastructure was destroyed. Today, 18 of its 30 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. This situation, compounded by widespread malnutrition and low vaccination rates, has contributed greatly to the rapid spread of cholera.

In your opinion, why have the Houthis refused to publicly acknowledge the existence of such an epidemic?

The first signs of cholera were observed by the Houthis as early as November 2023, but they refused to acknowledge the existence of the crisis until March, when they began to share some information with humanitarian agencies. But to this day, they refuse to publicly acknowledge the existence of an epidemic. The Houthi authorities have also put pressure on UN agencies and various humanitarian organizations to stop publishing information on the number of cholera cases. Since April 30, the World Health Organization has therefore been unable to publish new information.

In the south of the country, where the Yemeni government and the transitional grouping rule, the response to the outbreak has been more rapid. They have worked with aid agencies, setting up clinics and providing medicines. However, they too have given clear instructions not to use the word “cholera” publicly. A humanitarian worker told HRW that the authorities do not want to publish information about it because they are afraid of being held responsible for the outbreak. Cholera is a completely preventable disease if treated early enough. The medicines are known and available. But when people do not know that there is an outbreak, they do not have the reflex to go to the hospital immediately. They do so only when symptoms worsen, and by then it is often too late. The lack of information therefore has a direct impact on the spread of the outbreak.

How have the Houthi detentions and threats against aid workers affected the work of NGOs?

The immediate consequence for these critical aid organizations is that they are starting to think, “We can’t continue to operate in a country where our staff are likely to be arrested for no apparent reason.” As a result, some are scaling back their field activities, while many others are seriously questioning whether they can continue to work in Yemen. In the midst of an outbreak, a lack of information, and a collapse of health infrastructure, this is the last thing Yemenis need.

https://icibeyrouth.com/monde/373294

[Shiloh]

Source: https://al24news.com/en/un-more-than...rded-in-yemen/

UN : More Than 186,000 Cases of Cholera and 680 Deaths Recorded in Yemen
Latifa Ferial Naili Send an email 16 hours ago 42

The United Nations announced that more than 186,000 cases of cholera have been recorded in Yemen, including 680 deaths associated with the disease throughout the country, during the past six months.

“Acute watery diarrhea/cholera continues to spread across Yemen, with children under five and the elderly accounting for a quarter of all cases,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA ) said in its humanitarian situation report for Yemen issued on Monday.

He added that “health authorities’ data indicate a cumulative total of more than 186,000 suspected cases of acute watery diarrhea/cholera, and 680 deaths associated with the disease, in all 22 governorates in Yemen since mid-March, until September 7, 2024.”

He explained that the epidemic that has been raging for six months is “unique, as it is driven by water and food contamination,” noting that at its peak, between 1,050 and 1,800 new cases were reported daily, underscoring the highly contagious nature of this public health threat.

The report pointed out that the highest cases of infection were reported in the western highlands governorates (most of which are under Houthi control), noting that the latest data indicate the presence of hot spots in the governorates of (Dhale, Al Bayda, Hodeidah, Al Jawf, Amran, Hajjah, Marib and Raymah)...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.yemenonline.info/public/...l-reports/8752

Yemen's Cholera Crisis Worsens: More than 6,000 New Cases Reported This Month
2025-02-22 14:01:04

The cholera outbreak in Yemen continues to escalate, with health officials reporting More than 6,000 new cases this month alone. The total number of suspected cholera cases has now surged past 250,000, making it one of the worst outbreaks in recent history.

Years of conflict have severely disrupted the country's healthcare system, leaving millions without access to clean water and basic sanitation. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent international support to help contain the spread of the disease and provide critical medical assistance to affected communities...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.yemenonline.info/public/...l-reports/9637

watery diarrhea as Health System Teeters on Collapse
2025-07-03 21:49:50

Yemen Faces Alarming Surge in acute watery diarrhea as Health System Teeters on Collapse

Sana'a - Yemen is grappling with a renewed and alarming outbreak of acute watery diarrhea (AWD), including cholera, as the country’s fragile healthcare system edges closer to total collapse. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 18,000 suspected cases of cholera have been reported since the beginning of 2025, with a sharp spike in infections recorded in May.

The outbreak comes amid a broader humanitarian crisis that has left more than 19.5 million people in need of life-saving health assistance.

Years of protracted conflict have decimated Yemen’s health infrastructure, rendering nearly half of all medical facilities either non-functional or only partially operational.

Health officials warn that the resurgence of cholera—an entirely preventable disease—reflects the dire state of public health in Yemen...