WHO Reports Over 4,800 Cholera Cases in Yemen in First Five Months

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported over 4,800 new cholera cases in Yemen, including seven deaths, during the first five months of the current year.

According to a recent global epidemiological update, 4,814 new suspected cases of cholera and acute watery diarrhea (AWD) were reported in Yemen between January 1 and May 31, 2026. The report further indicated that seven fatalities were associated with the outbreak during the same period.

The WHO noted that all reported cases from the last week of April (Week 18) are confined to areas under the control of the internationally recognized Yemeni government (IRG). Data on the epidemiological situation in Houthi-controlled areas remains unavailable due to ongoing access restrictions.

In May alone, health authorities in government-controlled regions reported 589 new suspected cholera and AWD cases, including one death.

Last year, the UN agency recorded 93,496 suspected cholera and AWD cases across Yemen, resulting in 248 deaths. The WHO also stated that the cumulative total of reported cholera and AWD cases across 23 countries during the reporting period reached 114,829, with 1,318 deaths.