Yemen records worst day for coronavirus cases with Hadramaut emerging as possible epicentre

Yemen records worst day for coronavirus cases with Hadramaut emerging as possible epicentre
Yemen recorded its worst day for coronavirus cases on Monday, with the majority emerging in the southern province of Hadramaut.
2 min read
16 June, 2020
Yemen is war-torn [Getty]

Yemen recorded its worst day for coronavirus deaths on Monday, with the governorate of Hadramaut emerging as a potential epicentre for cases in the war-torn country.

Yemen's ministry of health said that 116 new Covid-19 cases were recorded on Monday, including 36 deaths.

The southern province of Hadramaut recorded 73 cases, including 32 deaths, with neighbouring Shabwa having the second highest number of cases of 24, including two deaths.  

Five cases were recorded in the governorates of Aden, three in Taiz, including two deaths, three in Lahj, seven Abyan, and one in al-Dhale, south and southwest of the country.

Read also: Yemen's rebels crack down as Covid-19 and rumours spread

The government also reported 26 people recovering from the disease, 16 in Shabwa governorate, eight in Hadramaut, and two in Abyan.

Coronavirus is spreading throughout Yemen, a country that has been devastated after five years of civil war.

Fighting has been between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who control the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s north, while the US-backed, Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of the internationally-recognised government

Yemen is facing what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The ongoing war has killed more than 100,000 and displaced 4 million people. 

Many Yemenis are afflicted by malnutrition and disease but the country's healthcare system has all but collapsed, leaving it extremely vulnerable to the spread of the Covid-19 respiratory disease.

Yemen's government has officially recorded hundreds of coronavirus cases, including 208 deaths. 

But according to the United Nations, testing and reporting remain limited and it is likely that most areas in the country have been impacted. 

Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram to stay connected