Yemen cholera outbreak hits 1 million suspected cases

Published: 21st December 2017

In response to the cholera outbreak hitting the million of suspected cases mark, Oxfam expressed today its appal at this horrifying new record for the country devastated by over 1,000 days of war.

Shane Stevenson, Oxfam’s Country Director in Yemen, said: “It is a disgrace that in the 21st century such an easy-to-treat disease like cholera could infect over a million people in one country. 

"This is the world's worst recorded outbreak, a man-made tragedy driven by more than a thousand days of a relentless and ruthless war. Month after month, the humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate, slowly destroying every aspect of Yemenis’ lives.

"More than 16 million people - almost the combined population of London and New York - are currently without clean water and millions more face losing their supply unless the Saudi-led coalition’s blockade is lifted quickly."

Contact information

Benjamin Wiacek | Yemen Media Lead | +33 7 69 32 61 67 (France) | bwiacek@oxfam.org.uk 

For updates, please follow @Oxfam or @OxfamYemen.

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