Cholera is spreading rapidly in Yemen, turning an already dire situation for children into a disaster. In just over a month, close to 70,000 cholera cases were reported with nearly 600 fatalities, according to UNICEF.
''The number of suspected cases is expected to reach 130,000 within the next two weeks,'' said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director, in a statement following his visit to Yemen, to oversee UNICEF’s response to the unprecedented cholera outbreak gripping the country.
"Since the start of this outbreak four weeks ago, UNICEF has been working with partners to respond. Our teams on the ground have provided safe water to over one million people across Yemen, and delivered over 40 tonnes of lifesaving medical equipment, including medicine, oral rehydration salts, intravenous fluids and diarrhoea disease kits,'' he added.
"But the international community needs to do more to provide immediate support for the relief efforts in health, water and sanitation, nutrition and community mobilisation. UNICEF urgently requires US$16 million to prevent the outbreak from spreading further," he further added.

Source: WAM