World Health Organization Warns of Cholera Outbreak in Yemen

The World Health Organization warned on Sunday that the cholera outbreak in Yemen is spreading, with 315 people having died from the disease since April 27 (7 Ordibehesht). According to a report by the German news agency, 29,300 people are suspected of being infected. Based on a statement published by the World Health Organization on Twitter, there are fears that within six months, 300,000 people in Yemen may contract cholera. This statement comes a day after Médecins Sans Frontières announced that the cholera outbreak in Yemen is spiraling out of control. Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating power struggle between the Saudi-backed government and Iranian-backed rebels since 2014. Last week, following the observation of multiple cholera cases in Sana'a, the capital currently held by government opponents, a state of emergency was declared. Ongoing battles in Yemen have severely damaged the country's health facilities. The World Health Organization states that more than half of these centers are no longer usable. According to United Nations estimates, about 7.6 million people in Yemen live in areas at high risk of cholera outbreaks. Cholera, an infectious disease, is caused by contamination of food or water with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Due to lack of access to food and clean water, as well as a shortage of medicine over three years of war, the people of Yemen are at risk of widespread outbreaks of this disease. According to UN estimates, two-thirds of Yemeni citizens do not have access to safe water. The ongoing battles in Yemen have resulted in over 8,000 deaths and approximately 40,000 injuries. Other estimates have put the death toll at over 10,000. A recent estimate from the International Institute for Strategic Studies states that Yemen was the 'worst war zone' in the world in 2016, following Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.