Yemen cholera outbreak eases but alert continues: Unicef

The cholera outbreak in Yemen, which has killed over 2,000 people, has started to recede but there was still no grounds for complacency regarding the health situation in the country, according to the Unicef.

Deputy Representative of Unicef to Yemen Sherin Varkey told Efe news on Thursday that although the situation is easing off in some parts of the country, there are still other areas where cholera-related cases are increasing.

Varkey attributed the improvements of the situation in Yemen to the combined interventions in the areas of health, water supply and sanitation.

The Unicef representative, however, warned that with the generally poor sanitation and sewage systems, the upcoming rainy season could aggravate the spread of the disease again.

Varkey concluded that all efforts must be continued in order to ensure that the outbreak is finally contained in the shortest possible time.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen has reached half a million, while the death toll has exceeded 2,000.

Since the death of the first cholera victim in April 2016, the disease has spread over the entire country, due to poor hygiene and sanitary conditions, as well as the shortage of clean water supply, according to the WHO.

The health crisis in Yemen is also due to the armed conflict, which started in 2014, when Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa and other provinces.

--IANS

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