Yemen cholera epidemic now worst in modern history at 360,000 cases and counting

‘Yemen’s ballooning cholera epidemic is now the single biggest outbreak of the disease since records began, infecting more than 360,000 people as the country also struggles with war, famine and imminent state collapse.
Since the first suspected case was recorded in March the outbreak has surpassed the previous annual record of new cases set by Haiti in 2011 340,311, Oxfam said on Friday, and has the potential to infect over 600,000 people.
Almost 2,000 people have already died from the acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Cholera can kill the old, young and otherwise sick in hours if fluids are not replaced…
…Less than half of the country’s medical centres are still functional, 14.5 million people don’t have regular access to clean water, and in several provinces health and sanitation workers have not been paid in months.
The circumstances have made it difficult for international aid organisations to operate. Last week, the UN said that up to one million doses of cholera vaccines may have to be diverted elsewhere thanks to logistical difficulties caused by the Saudi-led siege on the country.’
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