21 October 2019 - The Ministry of Public Health and Population of Yemen reported 14 424 suspected cases and 16 associated deaths during epidemiological week 41 (07- 13 October) of 2019, with 12% of the cases being severe. The cumulative total number of suspected cholera cases from 1 January 2018 to 6 October 2019 is 1 105 277, with 1476 associated deaths (CFR 0.13%). Children under five represent 26% of total suspected cases during 2019. The outbreak has affected 22 of the 23 governorates and 311 of the 333 districts in Yemen.

Suspected cholera cases started to be increasingly reported in week eight of 2019 and the trend continued until week 14 when the number of cases reached more than 29 500, the highest number of cases reported so far. Since then the number of suspected cases has been fluctuating over the past weeks, with the trend decreasing at the country level starting week 39.

Governorates reporting the highest number of suspected cases of cholera during 2019 are Al Hudaydah (110 106), Amanat Al Asimah (97 806), Sana’a (90 203), Hajjah (67 456), Dhamar (59 675), Ibb (65 690) and Amran (45 445).

Of a total of 99 088 samples tested at the central public health laboratories since January 2019, 4869 have been confirmed as cholera-positive by culture. During this period the governorates reporting the highest number of positive culture were Taizz (1306), Amanat Al Asimah (1337) and Sana’a (457).

WHO continues to provide leadership and support for activities with health authorities and partners to respond to this ongoing cholera outbreak including case management; surveillance and laboratory investigations; hotspot mapping and oral cholera vaccine (OCV) campaign planning; water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH); and risk communication.