U.N. Officials Call Yemen Cholera Outbreak Worst In World As Number Of Cases Tops 200K; Saudi Crown Prince Donates $66.7M Toward Relief Efforts

Associated Press: U.N.: More than 200,000 suspected cholera cases in Yemen
“The U.N. health agency says there are now more than 200,000 suspected cases of cholera in an outbreak in war-torn Yemen, many of them children. UNICEF Director Anthony Lake and World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said in a statement Saturday, ‘We are now facing the worst cholera outbreak in the world,’ with an average of 5,000 new cases every day…” (6/25).

New York Times: Saudis, at War in Yemen, Give Country $66.7 Million in Cholera Relief
“The newly elevated crown prince of Saudi Arabia, who as defense minister has led the country’s bombing and blockades of Yemen, showed his charitable side on Friday with a $66.7 million donation to fight the cholera outbreak in that country…” (Gladstone, 6/23).

NPR: Yemen Now Faces ‘The Worst Cholera Outbreak In The World,’ U.N. Says
“…Anthony Lake, executive director of UNICEF, and Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization, say that ‘more than 1,300 people have died — one quarter of them children — and the death toll is expected to rise’…” (Dwyer, 6/24).

Reuters: Saudi crown prince donates $66 million to fight Yemen cholera epidemic
“…The donation by [Saudi Arabia’s] Prince Mohammed bin Salman went to the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization (WHO), as requested by the organizations, a statement by the Saudi ministry of culture and information said. It would help them ‘respond effectively to the cholera situation in Yemen, through a combination of water, sanitation, and health care activities,’ it said…” (El Gamal, 6/23).

U.N. News Centre: Yemen hit by world’s worst cholera outbreak as cases reach 200,000 — U.N.
“…An estimated 30,000 dedicated local health workers who play the largest role in ending this outbreak have not been paid their salaries for nearly 10 months. ‘We urge all authorities inside the country to pay these salaries and, above all, we call on all parties to end this devastating conflict,’ [Lake and Chan] said” (6/24).

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