Aden, Yemen- 23 December 2024- Yemen bears the highest burden of cholera globally. The country has experienced persistent cholera transmission for many years, including the largest outbreak – between 2017 and 2020 – recorded in recent history.

As of 1 December, Yemen had reported 249,900 suspected cases of cholera, with 861 associated deaths since the beginning of the year. This accounts for 35% of the global cholera burden and 18% of global reported mortality. The number of cases and deaths reported in November 2024 are 37% and 27% higher than the same month in 2023. The increase this year is largely due to updated data from Yemen, with adjustments made to account for more detailed information from all governorates.

“The outbreak of waterborne diseases like cholera and acute watery diarrhoea imposes an additional burden on an already stressed health system facing multiple disease outbreaks. WHO and humanitarian actors are strained in their efforts to address the increasing needs due to severe funding shortages,” said WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Yemen Dr Arturo Pesigan.

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Addressing cholera in Yemen requires urgent and comprehensive interventions, covering coordination, surveillance, laboratory capacity, case management, community engagement initiatives, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and oral cholera vaccinations. Timely and sufficient funding is necessary for these interventions. In addition, damaged public water and sanitation infrastructures require intensive rehabilitation to prevent a recurrence of the devastating scenario the country experienced between 2017 and 2020.

Since the emergence of the latest cholera outbreak in March 2024, WHO has worked closely with the Ministry of Public Health and Population and the Ministry of Health and Environment through the UN multisectoral response plan to manage the outbreak.