MSF closing most cholera centres in Yemen

GENEVA: The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) is closing most of its 37 cholera treatment centres in Yemen, saying the epidemic appears to have peaked.

Some 884,368 suspected cholera cases have been recorded in the war-torn country in the past six months, including 2,184 deaths, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The case fatality rate is now 0.25 per cent.

“The number of cholera cases reported in MSF treatment centres has significantly decreased since the peak of the outbreak. As a result, the medical organisation is closing the majority of its cholera treatment centres or reducing their capacity,” MSF said in a statement late on Monday.

Some 567 new patients sought treatment for suspected cholera at MSF’s centres in nine governorates of Yemen during the second week of October, down from 11,139 at the peak in the third week in June, it said.

Other pathogens

“Only 9 per cent of patients admitted by MSF last week needed to be hospitalised and a limited number of patients have symptoms that correspond with the cholera case definition (acute watery diarrhoea with or without vomiting),” it said.“The remaining cases are believed to be due to other pathogens.” Full story @ timesofoman.com/world