1 December 2016 – The Ministry of Public Health and Population in Yemen has reported additional cases of cholera in Yemen.
To date, 7730 suspected cases of cholera, including 82 associated deaths have been reported (case fatality rate of 1.06%). Of these, 122 cases were laboratory-confirmed as Vibrio cholerae 01.
The affected areas are in the governorates of Aden, Amran, Al Hudaydah, Al-Bayda‘a, Al-Dhale’a, Ibb, Hajjah, Lahij, Ta’izz, Sana’a and Sana'a City. New cases have also been detected in the governorates of Abyan, Dhamar and Raymah.
WHO, in partnership with the MoPHP, UNICEF, OCHA and other partner nongovernmental organizations, continues to conduct investigations and interventions in new regions to check the spread of the disease through a joint Health and WASH taskforce.
26 cholera treatment centres have been established in the affected governorates and surveillance for acute watery diarrhoea has been enhanced in all governorates of the country. WHO is providing support to the 2 national health emergency control rooms in Aden and Sana'a to ensure quality data collection and has mobilized rapid response teams for effective and timely epidemiological investigation and response.
WHO has strengthened the capacity of local health workers through training on case management and infection control. Essential supplies such as rapid diagnostic test kits (RDTs), IV fluids, oral rehydration solutions and water chlorination tablets have been provided in affected communities.
WHO has also supported social mobilization and health education campaign among citizens to raise their awareness on prevention of cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases.
While acute watery diarrhoeal diseases are endemic in Yemen, the ongoing conflict has stretched the capacity of the national health systems. More than 7.6 million people, and more than 3 million internally displaced persons currently live in areas affected by the outbreak. Since the start of the outbreak, the population group most affected by cholera are children below 15 years of age (63%).
