Yemen dislodges water supply in Sanaa with new cholera outbreak

Authorities in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital, Sanaa, are working to sterilize water supplies in wells, distribution networks and homes to help stem the worst cholera outbreak in the world.

The fighting that took place four years ago between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi Allies group paralyzed Yemen's health and sanitation system, reporting 1,2 million cases of cholera since 2017 and 2,515 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned in October that the cholera outbreak was accelerating again with about 10,000 suspected cases a week, double the average of the first eight months of 2018.

Most cases have been reported in areas under the control of the Houthis, who control most of the population centers after the expulsion of the internationally recognized Sanaa government in 2014.

Nabil Abdullah al-Waziri, Minister of Water within the Houthi Movement, told Reuters of Sanaa that he was receiving information about cholera cases from the Ministry of Health and that the team sterilization was working on the sterilization of the house and about 20 surrounding homes.

"We worked at all levels, from house to house, at the water wells, sterilizing them and at the level of the water tanks." Local institutions, water that goes through the system of institutions, also sterilized, cases of cholera "We have been removed from the epidemiological surveillance of the Ministry of Health and the team is in the process to be sterilized and about 20 houses. "

"Currently, 20 automatic sterilization units are installed in wells directly connected to the capital's water distribution network," said Adel Muawda, general manager of technical affairs at the Water Corporation in Sanaa.

According to the United Nations, some 14 million people, half of Yemen's population, may soon be facing starvation. Some 1.8 million children suffer from malnutrition, said the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

30% of cholera infections in children

Pediatrician Mohammed Abdul Mughni administers intravenous fluids for children in WHO tents in Sanaa. Children sleep on beds on dirty ground and flies fly around their faces.

"It is a rapid increase in numbers, with the beginning of winter, we said it was possible to be scared, but with these cases,.

If the infection is detected early, acute diarrhea can be treated with dehydration solutions, but severe cases require venous fluids and antibiotics.

More than 250,000 cases of cholera have been reported since the beginning of 2018 and 358 cases of cholera, Reuters told reporters in Yemen, Mirichael Relano.

"We have managed to prevent an epidemic of the same magnitude as in 2017 … but the danger still exists," she said.