Cholera cases hit half a million in Yemen on 14 August. This happened even as nearly 2000 people died from the ravaging deadly disease between April-when the outbreak occurred and August. The World Health Organisation, WHO has stated through their website that “the overall caseload nationwide has declined since early July, particularly in the worst affected areas. But suspected cases of the deadly waterborne disease continue to rage across the country, infecting an estimated 5000 people per day.”

Doctor treating a cholera patient in Yemen Source:AlJazeera

According to Webmd, an online medical guide, “Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.”

The cholera epidemic in Yemen is reported to be due to debilitating water supply facilities, terrible hygiene and unacceptable sanitation conditions. Many of their people cannot have access to clean water coupled with the fact that their health workers have not been paid due to lack of funds.

Meanwhile, the WHO is doing its best by setting up cholera treatment clinics, delivering medical supplies and rehabilitating Yemen’s health facilities so that an end can be brought to this epidemic cankerworm.