Yemen’s cholera epidemic may have peaked, says WHO

Fatality rates have dropped for the first time in Yemen’s cholera outbreak, which has infected an estimated 219 000 people and killed over 1400 in two months, the World Health Organization said on 27 June.

WHO’s senior emergency adviser for Yemen, Ahmed Zouiten, said that, although the war has created a “perfect storm for cholera,” fatality rates have dropped from 1.7% in early May to 0.6% after intervention by health workers.

This week saw the first drop in new reported cases, he said: 39 000, down from a recent average of 41 000. But he warned that this apparent …