7 April 2019 - The Ministry of Public Health and Population of Yemen reported 29 768 suspected cases of cholera with 51 associated deaths during epidemiological week 14 (01 – 07 April) of 2019. Nineteen percent (19%) of suspected cholera cases were severely dehydrated and most of the deaths were adults. The cumulative total number of suspected cholera cases reported from 1 January 2018 to 07 April 2019 is 56 5921, with 911 associated deaths (CFR 0.16%). Children under five represent 23.0% of total suspected cases during 2019. The outbreak has affected 21 of 23 governorates and 282 of 333 districts in Yemen.

From week 8 in 2019, the trend of weekly reported suspected cholera cases started to increase and reached to more than 29 500 cases in the last reporting week. The governorates reporting the highest number of suspected cases of cholera during 2019 were Amanat Al Asimah (35 585), Sana’a (24 444), Al Hudaydah (21 714), Ibb (19 757), Arman (18 470) and Dhamar (17 122).

Of a total 4431 samples tested since January 2019, 2114 have been confirmed as cholera-positive by culture at the central public health laboratories. During this reporting period the governorates reported highest number of positive culture were; 686 from Amanat Al Asimah, 386 from Taizz and 264 were positive from Sana’a. The proportion of positive RDT rate has increased in recent weeks across all districts.

WHO continues to provide leadership and support to health authorities and partners to enhance prevention and response to the ongoing cholera outbreak, including case management, surveillance and laboratory investigations, hotspot mapping and OCV campaign planning, water sanitation, hygiene (WaSH) and risk communication.