Yemen: Cholera cases rise to nearly 220,000 since the beginning of this year

A recent report revealed that cholera cases in Yemen have risen to nearly 220,000 since the beginning of this year 2024, most of them in areas under the control of the Houthi militia, in northern Yemen.

A joint report by the United Nations Children's Fund ( UNICEF ) and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene ( WASH) Cluster said on Tuesday: "A total of 219,009 suspected cases of acute watery diarrhea ( AWD ) and cholera were reported across most of Yemen, between 1 January and 20 October 2024."

The statistics provided by the report indicated that most of the cases were monitored in the governorates under the control of the Houthi militia, representing more than 80% of the total cases reported throughout the country.

Hajjah topped the list of Yemeni governorates in terms of the rate of infection with the epidemic, followed by Hodeidah, then Amran, Ibb and Dhamar.

The report stated that humanitarian partners were able to reach 1,118,588 people with clean water, sanitation and hygiene services in 141 areas and 128 internal displacement sites, since the beginning of this year, as part of joint response efforts to confront the cholera outbreak.

On October 15, the United Nations announced that 203,000 cholera cases had been recorded in Yemen, in addition to 720 deaths associated with the disease, during the current year.

The World Health Organization classifies the resurgence of cholera in Yemen and the rest of the world as a level 3 emergency.