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Yemen Calls 'State Of Emergency' Following Cholera Outbreak

Yemen Calls 'State Of Emergency' Following Cholera Outbreak

The country is under watch from the UN and WHO.

Michael Minay

Michael Minay

Authorities in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, have declared a state of emergency following a deadly outbreak of cholera across the city.

The health ministry has said that the number of cases of cholera had worsened and that it was "unable to contain this disaster" in a statement made overnight.

Sana'a is home to around two million people and is controlled by Shiite rebels, with the statement given by the rebels' Saba news agency.

Credit: PA

An appeal has been launched for help from international humanitarian organisations to deal with the crisis, reports Yahoo News.

Hafid bin Salem Mohammed, the rebel health minister, said the 'scale of the disease is beyond the capacity' of his department.

Yemen, which is witnessing a devastating war between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-supported government, has lost over half of the country's health facilities as the conflict stretches into its third year.

Cholera outbreak in Yemen
Cholera outbreak in Yemen

Credit: PA

115 people had lost their lives due to the outbreak with a further 8,500 left ill by cholera according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) between April 27 and May 13.

This is on top of the 8,000 plus who have been killed since the conflict erupted in the country.

Relief agencies have warned of a catastrophic humanitarian situation and urged citizens to exercise hygiene precautions.

Director of operations at ICRC, Dominik Stillhart, said: "We, now, are facing a serious outbreak of cholera."

Credit: PA

This was supported by the Doctors Without Borders group who fear that the health authorities will not be able to cope with the outbreak.

Cholera, an infection caused by unsafe water and food, as well as contaminated human faeces, can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and muscle cramps within two hours of exposure.

In a statement, they asked international organisations to 'scale-up their assistance' to help prevent the spread and stop any further outbreaks.

It's the second epidemic already in less than a year within Yemen, the Arab world's poorest country. The World Health Organisation has now classed Yemen alongside Syria, South Sudan, Nigeria and Iraq in terms of humanitarian emergencies.

The United Nations has warned that 17 million people are at risk of famine in Yemen.

Source: Yahoo News

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Saudi Arabia