The Death Toll in Yemen Is So High the Red Cross Has Started Donating Morgues to Hosp

waltky · Jun 21, 2017

Yemen now has world's largest outbreak of cholera...

Yemen Struggling With Cholera Outbreak, Currently World's Largest
June 20, 2017 — The World Health Organization (WHO) reports the cholera outbreak in Yemen has spread to practically every part of the war-torn country. Suspected cases of cholera and acute watery diarrhea now top 170,000, with 1,170 deaths.

WHO reports cholera has spread to 20 of Yemen’s 22 governorates in just two months. Spokesman Tarik Jasarevic says aid agencies are scaling up their operation and refining their response. He says it is not possible to cover the country at all times, so WHO and the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) workers are going to so-called hotspots - the most affected areas - to treat cholera victims who are most at risk. He calls the situation a very challenging one. “If you look at the numbers, we are talking close to 2,000 suspected cases a day. Cholera is endemic in Yemen. It is currently the largest cholera outbreak that we have in the world,” Jasarevic said.

A man is treated for a suspected cholera infection at a hospital in Sana'a, Yemen

Cholera can be easily treated by replacing lost fluids right away. But patients can die within hours if the disease is left untreated. Jasarevic says cholera is being transmitted through contaminated water so it is critical to provide people with a clean water supply. “It is difficult in a situation where a country has a health system that is collapsing. There is simply no money in the budget and health facilities are not having money to run their daily operations. There is also the issue of waste collection that obviously affects the quality of water and access to clean water,” he said.

Jasarevic says the WHO and UNICEF are providing water purification tablets and are chlorinating water in an effort to keep contaminated water sources at a minimum. He says both agencies also are providing money to health workers as an incentive to have them treat cholera patients. He notes health workers have not received a salary in six months.

https://www.voanews.com/a/yemen-cholera-outbreak/3908018.html
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waltky · Jun 27, 2017

Cholera Cases in Yemen Could Top 300,000 by End of August...

UN: Cholera Cases in Yemen Could Top 300,000 by End of August
June 23, 2017 — The U.N. Children's Fund warns cholera cases and deaths in war-torn Yemen continue to mount and could reach 300,000 by the end of August. UNICEF puts the current number of suspected cases at nearly 200,000, including more than 1,200 deaths — with a quarter of those being children.

UNICEF says containing the cholera outbreak in Yemen is extremely difficult. It says the health system is near total collapse, water and sanitation systems are in disrepair and the people who are meant to care for patients, collect the garbage and maintain vital systems have not been paid for six months. The UNICEF representative in Yemen, Meritxell Relano, says despite the obstacles, aid agencies are making progress in reducing cholera cases and deaths in some parts of the country.

Women are treated for a suspected cholera infection at a hospital in Sanaa, Yemen

Package of intervention

Speaking from Sana'a, she says UNICEF and partners are meeting with some success in preventing the spread of the disease in places where they have provided families and communities with a package of intervention. She tells VOA the package includes household water purification. “A team of people, they go house by house and they check the water sources that the family is using,” Relano said. “They chlorinate the water tanks if they have a water tank … and then they are informed about the ways to avoid cholera by providing good hygiene to the family — hand washing with soap, how to handle the food and how to handle a family that is sick with cholera or with diarrhea.”

Easily treated if caught quickly

Relano says it is important to know how to care for a patient because cholera is sometimes transmitted by the fluids of a sick person. Cholera, which is caused by contaminated food and water, is easily treated if caught quickly; however, it can kill in a matter of hours if left untreated.

The UNICEF representative says cholera cases are going down in 77 of the country's 333 districts where aid agencies have introduced the life-saving package of integrated measures. This past week, U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien was quoted as saying Yemen's cholera outbreak was a “man-made” catastrophe caused by Yemen's warring sides and their international backers.

https://www.voanews.com/a/cholera-cases-in-yemen-growing/3913550.html
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waltky · Aug 14, 2017

Yemen cholera epidemic: Cases exceed 500,000...

Yemen cholera epidemic: Cases exceed 500,000 in four months
Mon, 14 Aug 2017 - The overall caseload has declined since early July, but 5,000 people a day are still being infected.

The number of suspected cases of cholera resulting from an epidemic in war-torn Yemen has reached 500,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. At least 1,975 people have died since the waterborne disease began to spread rapidly at the end of April. The WHO said the overall caseload had declined since July, but that 5,000 people a day were still being infected. The disease spread due to deteriorating hygiene and sanitation conditions and disruptions to the water supply. More than 14 million people are cut off from regular access to clean water and sanitation in Yemen, and waste collection has ceased in major cities.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera. Most of those infected will have no or mild symptoms but, in severe cases, the disease can kill within hours if left untreated. Yemen's health service has struggled to cope with the cholera epidemic - currently the largest in the world - with more than half of all medical facilities closed due to damage sustained during more than two years of conflict between pro-government forces and the rebel Houthi movement.

A Yemeni child infected with cholera receives treatment at a hospital in Sanaa

The WHO said shortages in medicines and supplies were persistent and widespread, and that 30,000 health workers had not been paid in almost a year. "Yemen's health workers are operating in impossible conditions," said the WHO's director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Thousands of people are sick, but there are not enough hospitals, not enough medicines, not enough clean water. "These doctors and nurses are the backbone of the health response - without them we can do nothing in Yemen. They must be paid their wages so that they can continue to save lives."

The WHO and its partners are working to set up cholera treatment clinics, rehabilitate health facilities, deliver medical supplies and support Yemen's health response effort. More than 99% of people infected who can access health services are surviving. Dr Tedros called on all sides in Yemen's conflict, which has killed more than 8,160 people and injured 46,330 since March 2015, to urgently find a political solution. "The people of Yemen cannot bear it much longer - they need peace to rebuild their lives and their country," he added.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40922963
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waltky · Aug 18, 2017

An average 5,000 people fall sick every day...

Pregnant, breastfeeding women among most at risk in Yemen's cholera outbreak
Friday 18th August, 2017 -- In the midst of the cholera outbreak in Yemen, where an average 5,000 people fall sick every day, the United Nations population agency is warning about the dangers to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

"Pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially those who are malnourished, are particularly vulnerable. An estimated 1.1 million malnourished pregnant women are at risk, requiring immediate care," the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) recently said. One of these women is Ibtisam, who contracted cholera when she was nine months pregnant. "I went to a health facility in my hometown in Rayma Governorate, but they did not know what was wrong with me," she told UNFPA. "I felt I was going to die and lose my baby. I was going to have my first child, and I was desperate not to lose my child." Pregnant and breastfeeding women are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, and those weakened by the nutrition crisis are more prone to infections, including cholera.

Ibtisam and her husband then travelled five hours to the nearest hospital in the capital, Sana'a, where she was diagnosed and treated for cholera. "Ibitsam was in her last month of pregnancy. If she [arrived] a day or two later, we are not sure we could have saved her or her baby," Dr. Farea, who helped treat her, told the UN agency. UNFPA has said that the cholera crisis in Yemen is the worst in the world, and its magnitude is linked to the ongoing conflict and displacement crisis, the breakdown of health and sanitation systems, and serious food insecurity.

Women as agents of change

While among the most vulnerable, women can also play a key role in controlling the spread of cholera because they are traditionally tasked with preparing food. Cholera often spreads through contaminated food or water. "If women are made aware about the steps they can take to prevent cholera and detect its symptoms at an early stage, we can save a lot of lives," Dr. Farea said.

Aman'a, a 35-year-old mother of five, told UNFAP that was aware of the need for good hygiene, but hardship conditions have made disease prevention difficult. "At home, I take all the precautions when preparing food, and make sure my children follow the same. Yet I was infected after visiting one of my relatives," she said. "I try to tell my friends and family to maintain good hygiene and wash fruits and vegetables with clean water several times before cooking." The UN agency said it has stepped up efforts to assist women and girls in Yemen, distributing dignity kits 8211 which contain soap, sanitary napkins and basic clothes 8211 and supporting midwives, mobile clinics and community outreach.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/...-among-most-at-risk-in-yemen-cholera-outbreak
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Tommy Palven · Aug 28, 2017

Could Saudi war on Yemen backfire?
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/fe...-yemen-strategic-failure-170823072854582.html

waltky · Oct 1, 2017

Yemen cholera outbreak nearing largest in recorded history...

Oxfam: Yemen cholera outbreak nearing largest in recorded history
Sept. 30, 2017 -- Yemen's massive cholera outbreak could infect more than one million people by the end of the year, experts believe.

The World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean reported 745,205 suspected cholera cases and 2,119 associated deaths in the country as of Wednesday. British charity Oxfam sad the epidemic is already the fastest-growing in recorded history and is expected to soon surpass the 754,373 cases recorded in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. "Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis and it is getting even worse. More than two years of war have created ideal conditions for the disease to spread," Oxfam's Humanitarian Director Nigel Timmins said. "The war has pushed the country to the edge of famine, forced millions from their homes, virtually destroyed the already weak health services and hampered efforts to respond to the cholera outbreak."

A Yemeni stands near a sewage swamp covered with plastic waste and creating a high-risk environment for cholera, in Sana'a, Yemen, 26 July 2017. British charity Oxfam warned the cholera outbreak, which has reached 745,205 suspected cases, could soon become the largest in recorded history.

The United Nations and global children's advocacy group Save the Children warned of the ongoing cholera epidemic in early August while reinvigorating calls for international humanitarian aid. Less than half of the country's medical centers remain functional following a civil war that engulfed the country in March 2015. The severe damage to the medical system, along with 14.5 million people lacking regular access to clean water, allowed the deadly disease to spread since the epidemic began in March of this year.

The U.N estimated $2.1 billion is needed to prevent Yemen from becoming a completely failed state, but donor governments only provided half the amount at an April aid conference in Geneva. "Yemen's tragedy is a man-made catastrophe for which all sides bear responsibility. Yet it is being fueled by deliberate political decisions in London, Washington and other world capitals," Timmins said.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-.../?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=5
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waltky · Nov 9, 2017

UN, Aid Groups Warn of 'Starvation and Death' in Yemen...

UN, Aid Groups Warn of 'Starvation and Death' in Yemen
9 Nov.`17 - The United Nations and more than 20 aid groups said Thursday that the Saudi-led coalition's tightening of a blockade on war-torn Yemen could bring millions of people closer to 'starvation and death.'

The U.N.'s humanitarian chief warned a day earlier that unless the coalition lifts its blockade, Yemen will face 'the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims.' The coalition closed all ports and halted aid shipments after Yemen's Houthi rebels fired a ballistic missile over the weekend that was intercepted near Riyadh. Saudi Arabia blamed the strike on Iran, which supports the Houthis but has denied arming them. The U.S. has also accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to the Houthis, charges denied by the rebels, who insist they produced the missile used Saturday on their own. The coalition, which is allied with Yemen's internationally recognized government, has been at war with the rebels since March 2015. The Houthis control most of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

About two-thirds of Yemen's population relies on imported supplies, said the aid groups, which include CARE, Save the Children and Islamic Relief. Over 20 million people need humanitarian assistance, including 7 million facing 'famine-like' conditions, they said. Food supplies are expected to run out within six weeks while vaccines will last only a month
They urged an 'immediate opening' of all air and seaports. 'If I have to compare Yemen to a person, I would say that this person is very sick, this person is very weakened, and is being drip-fed, so if you want to keep the patient alive, we need to reactivate drip-feeding as soon as possible,' Robert Mardini, the Middle East director for the International Committee of the Red Cross, told The Associated Press.

Women wait to fill up cooking gas cylinders outside a gas station amid supply shortage in Sanaa, Yemen, Nov. 7, 2017.

At the United Nations, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday marks the fifth day since the Saudi-led coalition imposed a complete blockade on Yemen. He said that since Sunday, the 'coalition has not facilitated any humanitarian movements into or out of Yemen carrying relief items and aid workers.' 'Our humanitarian colleagues say that they have heard of health facilities shutting down because they cannot cover the increased fuel costs, and water pumping station have also been affected,' Dujarric said. The blockade has already led to a fuel crisis in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, where hundreds of cars lined the roads Wednesday after the Houthis ordered the closure of fuel stations. The rebels said they closed the stations after merchants refused to fix prices. The price of fuel has risen by 50 percent since the coalition tightened the blockade.

Yemeni officials also said those who need to be hospitalized abroad cannot leave the country. They said the Houthis in Sanaa and coalition-backed forces in the southern city of Aden are only interested in treating their own wounded. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation with reporters. U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council behind closed doors Wednesday that there must be an immediate resumption of regular flights to the cities of Aden and Sanaa by the U.N. and its humanitarian partners. 'What we need to see is a reduction of blockages on all sides, not an increase,' he said.

Lowcock also said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Wednesday morning and 'called for an immediate resumption of normal humanitarian access.' Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meanwhile said he had proposed a four-point peace plan in 2015 that was still valid. 'In 2015, soon after Saudi coalition initiated war on Yemen, I wrote to the (U.N. secretary general) offering a 4-point peace plan: ceasefire; humanitarian assistance; Intra-Yemeni dialogue; and inclusive government,' he tweeted. 'Over 2.5 years and many lives later, that plan is still valid today.'

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/255316575/un-aid-groups-warn-of-starvation-and-death-in-yemen
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The Death Toll in Yemen Is So High the Red Cross Has Started Donating Morgues to Hosp

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