Yemen : cholera has killed 2127 people

Hani Mohammed/AP/SIPA

Published the 01.10.2017 at 17h02

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choléraYémenépidémie

The cholera epidemic does not stop at Yemen. The new assessment by the world health Organization (WHO) state of 2127 deaths since the beginning of the epidemic, at the end of April. In addition, more than 767 524 people, in 22 of the 23 provinces of the country in war, have been infected.

The majority of suspected cases and deaths have been reported in the northern provinces, under the control of the rebels houthistes, says the international organization on its website. The number of deaths has increased by 124 compared to the last report of WHO published it was nine days, while the number of suspected cases has increased 62 980.

Humanitarian crisis

The international Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has predicted that the outbreak could reach a million people by the end of the year. The war in Yemen, which lasts for more than two and a half years, has destroyed the major part of water systems and sanitation in the country, as well as half of the health facilities in the country. Approximately 15 million people do not have access to safe drinking water and basic health care.

Cholera is a bacterial infection that is transmitted by direct fecal-oral or by ingestion of contaminated food or water and causes dehydration. Has this epidemic is in addition one of the worst humanitarian disaster : famine.

Famine

Nearly 7 million Yemenis suffer from hunger. On Twitter, the United Nations Fund for populations (UFPA) has warned that over a million pregnant women undernourished are threatened by cholera and are in need of care.