The first confirmed case relating to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
in
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
was announced on 10 April 2020 with an occurrence in
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut ( ar, حَضْرَمَوْتُ \ حَضْرَمُوتُ, Ḥaḍramawt / Ḥaḍramūt; Hadramautic: 𐩢𐩳𐩧𐩣𐩩, ''Ḥḍrmt'') is a region in South Arabia, comprising eastern Yemen, parts of western Oman and southern Saud ...
. Organizations called the news a "devastating blow" and a "nightmare scenario" given the country's already dire humanitarian situation.
The country is seen to be extremely vulnerable to the outbreak, given the dire humanitarian situation due to the
Yemeni Civil War Yemeni Civil War may refer to several historical events which have taken place in Yemen:
*Alwaziri coup, February – March 1948
*Yemeni–Adenese clan violence, 1956–60
*North Yemen Civil War, 1962–70
*Aden Emergency, 1963–67
*South Yemen#Di ...
, exacerbated by the
ongoing famine,
cholera outbreaks
Seven cholera pandemics have occurred in the past 200 years, with the first pandemic originating in India in 1817. The seventh cholera pandemic is officially a current pandemic and has been ongoing since 1961, according to a World Health Organiz ...
, and
military blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies. The Yemeni
healthcare system
Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profes ...
has been "all but decimated" by the war, with many healthcare facilities destroyed by
airstrikes and shelling and a lack of
healthcare workers
A health professional, healthcare professional, or healthcare worker (sometimes abbreviated HCW) is a provider of health care treatment and advice based on formal training and experience. The field includes those who work as a nurse, physician (suc ...
.
Timeline
April 2020
The first case was confirmed on 10 April, the patient was a 60-year-old man in the southern oil-producing region of
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut ( ar, حَضْرَمَوْتُ \ حَضْرَمُوتُ, Ḥaḍramawt / Ḥaḍramūt; Hadramautic: 𐩢𐩳𐩧𐩣𐩩, ''Ḥḍrmt'') is a region in South Arabia, comprising eastern Yemen, parts of western Oman and southern Saud ...
. He remains in stable condition. Authorities have since sealed off the port where the man worked and told other employees to self-isolate for two weeks. The neighbouring regions of
Shabwah
Shabwah ( ar, شَبْوَة, Šabwa) is a governorate (province) of Yemen. Its main town is Ataq.
During the Yemeni Civil War in 2015, the province became a battleground. The battle, known as the Shabwah Campaign, ended on August 15, 2015, af ...
and
al-Mahrah sealed their borders with Hadhramaut, where a 12-hour nightly curfew has been imposed.
On 23 April, Hadramout Governor Faraj Salmin Al-Bahsni said in an interview with
Al-Arabiya television that the result of the last examination the person had undergone on 22 April after he recovered was negative.
On 29 April,
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
recorded five new cases of
coronavirus, including two deaths, all in the
southern Yemeni port city of
Aden.
Two sources familiar with the matter told
Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was esta ...
there has been at least one confirmed case in
Houthi
The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
-controlled
Sanaa
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...
, but the movement's health ministry denied this and said all suspected cases had tested negative for COVID-19.
May 2020
On 1 May, Yemen reported its first case in the southwestern
Governorate of Taiz.
On 2 May, three more cases were confirmed, one in Taiz Governorate and two in
Aden city. The new case in
Taiz
Taiz ( ar, تَعِزّ, Taʿizz) is a city in southwestern Yemen. It is located in the Yemeni Highlands, near the port city of Mocha on the Red Sea, at an elevation of about above sea level. It is the capital of Taiz Governorate. With a popula ...
had been in contact with the southwestern province's first infection.
On 4 May, two new cases were reported in
Hadhramaut
Hadhramaut ( ar, حَضْرَمَوْتُ \ حَضْرَمُوتُ, Ḥaḍramawt / Ḥaḍramūt; Hadramautic: 𐩢𐩳𐩧𐩣𐩩, ''Ḥḍrmt'') is a region in South Arabia, comprising eastern Yemen, parts of western Oman and southern Saud ...
.
On 5 May, the government in the south reported 9 new infections, eight in
Aden, along with one new death and one case in Hadhramaut. The
Houthis
The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
reported their first case, a
Somali national, who was found dead in a hotel in
Sanaa
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...
on 3 May.
On 6 May, Yemen reported its first three cases, including a death in
Lahij Governorate
Lahij ( ar, لحج ) is a governorate of Yemen.
In 2015, the Governorate was subject to the Lahij insurgency, which was part of the Yemeni Civil War.
Districts
Lahij Governorate is divided into the following 15 districts. These districts are f ...
and another infection in Aden. The emergency coronavirus committee of
Yemen's Saudi-backed government also said one COVID-19 patient diagnosed earlier in
Taiz province had died.
On 8 May, Yemen reported nine new coronavirus cases in
Aden, the interim headquarters of the government, including one death, and said a second person infected in the southern province of
Lahaj had died.
On 9 May, a new case of coronavirus was discovered in
Sanaa
Sanaa ( ar, صَنْعَاء, ' , Yemeni Arabic: ; Old South Arabian: 𐩮𐩬𐩲𐩥 ''Ṣnʿw''), also spelled Sana'a or Sana, is the capital and largest city in Yemen and the centre of Sanaa Governorate. The city is not part of the Gover ...
, which was transmitted from Aden,
Houthi
The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
's health ministry said in a statement.
On 28 May, a statement from the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
and its agencies outlined the dire impact COVID-19 had on
Yemenis
Yemenis or Yemenites ( ar, يمنيون) are the nationals of Yemen.
Social hierarchy
There is a system of social stratification in Yemen that was officially abolished at the creation of the Republic of Yemen in 1962 but, in practice, this syst ...
. Yemen's embattled health care system is near collapse due to the addition strain from COVID-19. Only half of health facilities are in operation, with most lacking
personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, e ...
(PPE), oxygen supplies, and clean water. Most health-workers and front-line aid workers are reportedly working without protective equipment and salaries.
A press release from the
United Nation's Children Fund (UNICEF) indicated that another 5 million children had been put out of school due to school closures, adding to the already 2 million children who were out of school prior to the pandemic.
June 2020
On June 24, the UN humanitarian chief,
Mark Lowcock
Sir Mark Andrew Lowcock (born 25 July 1962) is a British economist and accountant who served as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (the head of the United Nations Office for the ...
warned that Yemen will "fall off the cliff" without increased donations. He said that coronavirus was spreading swiftly across Yemen, and roughly a quarter of the country's confirmed cases have died. He warned many more people could die due to starvation, COVID-19, or cholera. Finally, he warned that the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating the suffering of Yemenis.
On June 28, the
Republic of Yemen Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of Yemen ( ar, الْقُوَّاتُ الْمُسَلَّحَةُ الْيَّمَّنِيَّة, Al-Quwwat Al-Musallahah Al-Yamaniyah) are the military forces of the Republic of Yemen. They include the Yemeni Army (including t ...
in Jubb al-Ghar fired multiple bullets from their machine guns at
Ethiopian
Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...
migrants after blaming them for the spread of the disease.
On 29 June, the Yemeni Health Ministry reported 10 new cases of the disease and 304 nationwide deaths from the disease.
July 2020
On July 14, authorities in territory controlled by
Houthi rebels in Yemen announced an easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions, allowing the reopening of restaurants, parks and wedding venues, whilst encouraging the public to maintain a social distance and use hand sanitizer regularly.
Statistics
Confirmed new cases per day
Confirmed deaths per day
COVID-19 Cases Reported in Yemeni Governorates
Prevention
As a response to the growing threat, the
Houthis
The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
declared the suspension of
international flight
An international flight is a form of commercial flight within civil aviation where the departure and the arrival take place in different countries.
Regular international passenger air service began in August 1919 with a flight going from Lond ...
s on 15 March. Yemeni officials also stepped up to battle against the threat from the coronavirus.
After urging from the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
to pursue peace talks, the
Saudi-led coalition in the
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
called a unilateral ceasefire beginning 9 April at noon, to support efforts to stop the virus's spread.
After the second case in
Taiz Governorate
Taiz ( ar, تَعِزّ, Taʿizz) is a governorates of Yemen, governorate of Yemen. The governorate's capital is Taiz, which is the third largest city in Yemen. Today it is the most important commercial centre in Yemen owing to its proximity to t ...
was announced, the governor of Taiz announced on 2 May that he was closing the province's borders for two weeks, with the exception of supplies of food and other essential goods, in order to prevent the virus from spreading.
[
On 28 May, the United Nations and 16 other international humanitarian partners launched an emergency appeal to find US$2.41 Billion to fight ]COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...
in Yemen. Although only 10 of the nation's 22 governorates have reported confirmed cases at this time, a statement from the international humanitarian community indicated that the virus had already impacted most areas of the country. 30 of the 41 major UN Programs in Yemen are at risk of running out of money in the next few weeks if additional funding cannot be found.
Vaccination
On March 31, 2021, Yemen received the first batch of 360,000 coronavirus vaccine doses, a part of 1.9 million doses.
References
{{Portal bar, Medicine, Viruses
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
Coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifie ...
Coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifie ...
Disease outbreaks in Yemen