Yemen faces 'greatest burden' of global cholera epidemic, WHO warns | Health news

Yemen has reported 249,900 cases and 861 deaths this year – 35 percent of the global cholera burden and 18 percent of the reported global mortality.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says Yemen bears the “greatest burden” of cholera globally since the outbreak began in March.

In a statement on Monday, the UN agency said that as of December 1, Yemen had reported 249,900 suspects cases of cholera and 861 related deaths this year.

Those numbers account for 35 percent of the global burden of cholera and 18 percent of the world's deaths, the WHO said.

The number of cases and deaths reported in November was 37 percent and 27 percent higher than the same month in 2023, according to the global health body.

The increase this year was “largely due to updated data” from Yemen with adjustments made to account for more detailed information from all provinces, it noted.

“Outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as cholera and acute watery diarrhea are putting additional burdens on an already stressed health system facing multiple disease outbreaks. WHO and humanitarian actors are strained in their efforts to meet the growing needs due to severe funding shortages,” said WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen Arturo Pesigan.

The WHO said it was forced to close treatment centers in Yemen amid a $20 million funding shortfall.

The UN agency has so far closed 47 diarrhea treatment centers and is expected to close 17 more by the end of the year in the impoverished country. The agency will also close 39 more oral rehydration centers by the end of the year.

“Lack of access to safe drinking water, poor hygiene practices in the community, and limited access to timely treatment further hamper efforts to prevent and control the disease,” Pezigan said.

Addressing cholera in Yemen requires “urgent and comprehensive” interventions covering coordination, surveillance, laboratory capacity, case management, community engagement initiatives, water, sanitation, hygiene and oral cholera vaccinations, the agency stressed. It says timely and sufficient funding is needed for these interventions.

According to the WHO, Yemen has experienced sustained transmission of cholera for many years, including the world's largest outbreak in recent history from 2017 to 2020 with more than 2.5 million cases and 4,000 deaths, according to UNICEF.

According to the WHO, about four million people become infected with cholera each year worldwide.