By Al-Fassel | 2024-04-18

The United Nations (UN) on April 15 expressed concern about the uptick in cholera cases in Yemen, especially in areas of the country controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis, where 75 people have died since October.

"Since October last year, we have seen an alarming resurgence of cholera across the country," UN official Edem Wosornu told the Security Council, speaking on behalf of humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths.

"Since March, we have seen the outbreak spread rapidly in areas controlled by the Houthi de facto authorities," the official said.

As of April 7, more than 11,000 suspected cases have been reported in those areas since October, along with the 75 deaths, AFP reported.

In comparison, 3,200 suspected cases have been reported in government-controlled areas, where the response has slowed the spread of the illness and provided treatment for those affected, Wosornu said.

Polio also has reemerged in Yemen, a pediatrician from Al-Sabeen Maternity and Child Hospital in Sanaa told Al-Fassel earlier in April.

Yemen faces a double burden of disease and armed conflict, and 17.8 million people in the country require health assistance, the World Health Organization said in an April 7 report.

Of this number, 50% are children and 24% are women, it said.

A full 540,000 children under the age of 5 require life-saving treatment for severe wasting, it said -- 10% of whom have severe acute malnutrition with medical complications and need highly specialized inpatient care.

"A rapid response [to the cholera outbreak] is absolutely critical," Wosornu said.

"The United Nations and our humanitarian partners are working closely with relevant authorities to scale up the response," he added, calling on the international community to offer money and supplies.

The UN's humanitarian response plan for Yemen for 2024, estimated to cost $2.7 billion, has been funded only 10% so far.

Houthis continue maritime attacks

While there has been a lull in fighting in Yemen since the expiry of a six-month truce brokered in April 2022, the Houthis have launched since November dozens of attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

While the Houthis claim they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians, their indiscriminate attacks on commercial ships have in fact complicated the delivery of aid to both Gaza and Yemen.

UN experts have warned that linking Yemen's war to wider conflicts in the region puts Yemen's chance for peace at risk.

On April 16, US forces successfully engaged two drones in areas in Yemen controlled by the Houthis, after destroying four Houthi drones on April 14.

The interceptions, which the US military said were carried out in self defense, came days after the Houthis launched multiple drones at Israel in coordination with Iran, security firm Ambrey said late April 13.

At approximately 7pm April 13, the Houthis also launched an anti-ship ballistic missile toward the Gulf of Aden, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

US forces successfully engaged and destroyed an anti-ship ballistic missile launched over the Red Sea from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen on April 11.

And on April 10, the US military shot down 11 drones launched by the Houthis, after the group claimed it had targeted several ships off the Gulf of Aden.

On April 9, USS Mason and CENTCOM forces engaged and destroyed one inbound anti-ship ballistic missile launched by the Houthis over the Gulf of Aden.

The missile was likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a US-flagged, US-owned vessel being escorted by the USS Laboon and USS Mason.