Cholera outbreak in war-torn Yemen: State of emergency declared in Sanaa

New Delhi: Sanaa, the capital of Yemin, has been declared a state of emergency after an outbreak of cholera killed scores of people, the media reported on Monday.

Hospitals in the city, which is controlled by the Shia Houthi rebels, are crowded with cholera patients, the BBC quoted the Red Cross as saying.

Dominik Stillhart, director of operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross, told a news conference in Sanaa on Sunday that there were 115 deaths from cholera nationwide from April 27 to May 13.

"We now are facing a serious outbreak," he said.

The number of suspected cases in the country has tripled in a week to more than 8,500, it said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Sanaa has been worst hit, followed by the surrounding province of Amanat al-Semah.

Cholera is an infectious, water-borne disease that is transmitted through contaminated water and food. It remains a global threat to public health and can kill within hours if left untreated.

Cholera is caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

Symptoms of cholera include acute diarrhoea and vomiting, which can quickly lead to dehydration. If not treated, it can lead to shock and death in a matter of hours.

(With IANS inputs)