WHO Reports Sharp Rise in Cholera Cases Among Displaced People in Yemen Amid Ongoing Conflict
- 2026-10-15
- 20:19:36
ADEN — The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a sharp increase in cholera cases among displaced populations in Yemen, warning that renewed fighting and continued displacement are heightening the risk of infectious disease outbreaks across the country.
In a press statement, the WHO said that escalating conflict and large-scale population movements are creating conditions conducive to the spread of communicable diseases.
“Escalating conflict and mass displacement in Yemen are increasing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks. Overcrowding, inadequate access to clean water, and disruptions to health services are exposing growing numbers of people to cholera, measles, and other preventable diseases,” the organization said.
According to the WHO, the total number of suspected cholera cases reported in Yemen this year has risen to 8,034 new cases, including 27 deaths. The agency noted that one-quarter of these cases were recorded during the past four weeks, coinciding with intensified hostilities and ongoing displacement.
The health agency said that 92 percent of all reported cholera cases were registered in the governorates of Abyan, Lahj, Al Dhalea, Taiz, and Aden, which currently host the largest numbers of newly displaced people.
The WHO also highlighted the regional impact of the crisis, noting that health authorities in neighboring Djibouti have reported 44 cases of acute watery diarrhea and one death among Yemeni refugees.
The organization warned that the disease outbreak is placing additional strain on an already overwhelmed healthcare system. Health facilities across conflict-affected areas are struggling to cope with both disease outbreaks and casualties from ongoing fighting.
“Disease outbreaks are placing further pressure on health facilities treating thousands of people injured in the conflict,” the statement said, adding that nearly 500 health facilities across nine governorates affected by escalating violence currently lack support from humanitarian partners.