UNICEF Warns of Rising Cholera Cases in Yemen

The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, has warned about the rapid spread of cholera in Yemen, stating that an estimated three to five thousand people are infected with the disease daily in the country. Keert Kaplara, the director of UNICEF's Middle East section, reminded at a press conference on Saturday that 70,000 cases of cholera were reported last month, adding that the disease has affected 19 out of 22 provinces in Yemen. This UNICEF official emphasized that without necessary aid, the number of cholera cases in Yemen could double in two weeks and reach 300,000 in nearly a month. He also warned that this disease could spread beyond the borders of the country, which should be a concern for all neighboring countries. This warning comes as the World Health Organization announced two weeks ago that nearly 30,000 people had been infected with cholera in about a month, with 315 deaths reported due to the disease. At that time, the World Health Organization estimated that the number of cholera cases could reach 300,000 within six months based on the speed of the disease's spread. According to United Nations estimates, about 7.6 million people in Yemen live in areas at high risk of cholera outbreaks. Cholera, which is a contagious infection, is caused by food or water contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Lack of access to food and clean water, as well as a shortage of medicine during three years of war, have put Yemen at risk of widespread outbreaks of this disease, and UN estimates show that two-thirds of Yemeni citizens do not have access to safe water. The internal conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 people and displaced nearly three million from the population of Yemen over three years, has devastated Yemen's economic and health sectors. As the UNICEF Middle East director stated, cholera patients in Yemen cannot afford to travel to areas where free clinics operate.