Half a Million Cholera Cases in Yemen

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Yemenis are threatened by endless war, famine, cholera, and other horrendous issues, horrors approaching biblical proportions, the lives of millions endangered.

Continuing to spiral out of control, the cholera epidemic is the worst in memory. US orchestrated/Saudi aggression devastated Yemen's infrastructure - resulting in minimal or lack of available medical treatment for millions.

Creating a perfect storm for the cholera outbreak, it continues spreading like wildfire, thousands of new cases reported daily, many others likely unreported.

On August 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the number of suspected cholera cases reached half a million - around 2,000 known deaths so far from the disease, likely many more unreported.

According to the WHO, cases declined from peak July numbers in some areas, but continue raging nationwide, "spreading fast in more recently affected districts…infecting an estimated 5,000 people per day."

Poor hygiene, devastated sanitary conditions, millions of people without access to clean water, and lack of waste collection caused the outbreak, letting it spread rapidly.

Most Yemeni health facilities can't operate because of destruction, damage, lack of funding, and shortages of everything needed to treat the ill and injured. 

Health professionals and support staff haven't been paid in nearly a year. According to WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom:

"Yemen's health workers are operating in impossible conditions. 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."

Most Yemenis ill from cholera can be cured if properly treated in time, impossible for countless numbers in the war-torn nation, conflict continuing daily for nearly two-and-a-half years with no end in sight.

"To save lives in Yemen today we must support the health system, especially the health workers. And we urge the Yemeni authorities - and all those in the region and elsewhere who can play a role - to find a political solution to this conflict that has already caused so much suffering," said Tedros. 

"The people of Yemen cannot bear it much longer. They need peace to rebuild their lives and their country" - what's not forthcoming.

Trump, his hawkish administration generals and Saudi war lords want conflict, mass slaughter and destruction continued.

Millions of Yemenis are at risk from war, related violence, famine, cholera, other diseases, and inadequate or absence of essentials to life and welfare.

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