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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : August 5, 2018 10:00 AM IST
Yemen had two major waves of cholera epidemics in the past years. However, recently the World Health Organization (WHO) warns Yemen may be on the verge of another cholera epidemic. And this could be deadlier than previous ones because of widespread malnutrition in the war-torn country.
According to the New Delhi Times report, the WHO reports that an increasing number of cases in several heavily populated areas over the past few weeks. This situation indicates that the country may be on the World Health Organization (WHO) warns Yemen may be on the verge of another cholera epidemic outbreak of the deadly disease for the third time.
Peter Salama, WHO's emergency response chief said that this time the cholera epidemic is likely to be more life-threatening than the previous ones because the population is seriously weakened after three years of civil war. Fighting has been raging between the government and rebel forces.
"What we are likely to see is that interplay with cholera and malnutrition occurring more and more and food insecurity," he said. "And, not only more cases because of that, but even higher death rates among the cholera cases that do occur because people just do not have the physical resources to fight the disease any longer."
In between August 4 to 6, the United Nations is calling for three days of tranquillity. The UN wants the warring parties to stop fighting during this period so WHO and its partners can carry out a massive oral cholera vaccination campaign.
Peter Salama said that around 3,000 health workers are being mobilized in three districts in northern Yemen. Their main aim is to vaccinate more than 500,000 individuals above the age of one. Last year in Yemen the cholera cases have topped one million in the world's worst outbreak of the disease.
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