By June 17thth, the number of suspected cholera cases reported by World Health Organization (WHO) & health authorities in Yemen has reached 151,400, (1,054 deaths). The number of cases is way higher compared to the previous outbreak wave (23,506 suspected cases in total between October 2016 and March 21 2017 - WHO). Cases are now reported from 19 governorates out of 22 governorates (the previous outbreak had reached a maximum of 15 governorates).

In its cholera treatment centers, MSF is seen a sharp increase in the suspected cholera cases. By June 18th, MSF has received 41,479 patients of cholera and acute watery diarrhea since the start of the rapid increase of the epidemic in early April 2017. Of the 41,000 patients we received since March 30th, more than 17,000 patients were seen in the past two weeks (since June 4th).
In the first few weeks of the outbreak, MSF was working in 5 cholera treatment centers that it has established with the help of its logistic team. As the number of patients is still on the rise, more cholera treatment centers were established. Today, MSF has 9 Cholera Treatment Centers (CTC), 7 Cholera Treatment Units (CTU) and 2 stabilization units in 9 governorates (Amran, Hajja, Al-Dhale, Hodaidah, Ibb, Taiz, Sana’a, Aden and Abyan. MSF continues to expand the capacity of some of its CTC, opening new ones, supporting other locations through donations and evaluating the needs.

The poor level of sanitation and lack of safe drinking water is increasing vulnerability of the population due to the ongoing conflict which means they are more susceptible to cholera (particularly if suffering from chronic and acute malnutrition), and the population are having more and more difficulty in accessing health facilities on time (the outbreak is spreading to the more remote and poor communities so they have further to travel and less money for transport).