Aid charity Oxfam warns of ‘massive resurgence of cholera’ in Yemen

Oxfam International, a confederation of 20 independent charitable organizations, has warned of a “massive resurgence of cholera” amid an escalation of violence in the war-torn state, and ahead of the rainy season, which is expected to accelerate the spread of the disease.

Oxfam International, a confederation of 20 independent charitable organizations, has warned of a “massive resurgence of cholera” amid an escalation of violence in the war-torn state, and ahead of the rainy season, which is expected to accelerate the spread of the disease.

“Fears that the world’s worst cholera outbreak could be set for a massive resurgence are growing,” the relief organization said Thursday.

In a statement, Oxfam warned that fighting and restraints on access – including checkpoints and permit requirements imposed by the warring parties – are making it extremely difficult to reach some affected areas. 

The upcoming rainy season is likely to accelerate the spread of the disease due to flooding and contamination of water sources, Oxfam said.

In the last two weeks of March, around 2,500 suspected cases were being reported every day, up from around 1,000 a day in February. That is more than 10 times higher than the number of reported cases and associated deaths during the same period in 2018.   

The relief organization has recorded around 195,000 suspected cases of cholera so far this year.