Yemen has reported the highest global burden of cholera, with nearly 250,000 suspected cases and 861 associated deaths as of 1 December, accounting for 35 per cent of worldwide cholera cases and 18 per cent of related deaths this year, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
November saw a sharp increase in cholera cases and deaths compared to the same period in 2023, with suspected cases rising by 37 per cent and deaths by 27 per cent.
Yemen’s cholera crisis comes on top of more than a decade of conflict, widespread economic collapse and crumbling health infrastructure. The country also experienced its largest cholera outbreak in recent history from 2017 to 2020, with transmission persisting ever since.
