Dawn of Yemen: A sharp increase in cholera cases among the displaced with the escalation of hostilities

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The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that cholera cases have seen a sharp rise among displaced people in Yemen amid continued displacement caused by renewed hostilities in the country.

The organization said in a press statement: “The escalation of conflict and mass displacement in Yemen increases the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, as overpopulation, insufficient access to clean water, and disruption of health services expose increasing numbers to cholera, measles, and other preventable diseases.”

The statement added that the total number of suspected cases of cholera reported in Yemen this year rose to 8,034 new cases, including 27 deaths. “A quarter of these cases were recorded in the past four weeks as the conflict escalated and displacement continued.”

The World Health Organization indicated that 92% of the total cases were recorded in Abyan, Lahj, Al-Dhalea, Taiz, and Aden, which are the five governorates that host the largest number of newly displaced people. “The health authorities in Djibouti also reported 44 cases of acute watery diarrhea, and one death among the Yemeni refugees there.”

The statement explained that the outbreak of diseases "places additional pressure on health facilities treating thousands of people injured in the fighting, as about 500 health facilities in nine governorates affected by the escalation of the conflict lack the support of partners."

The World Health Organization stressed that it urgently needs additional funding to contain disease outbreaks, maintain basic health services, and protect displaced communities in Yemen.

In this context, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a recent report that it monitored the displacement of 36,216 Yemeni families, consisting of 217,303 people, during the period between August 1 and October 12, 2026.

The report added that more than half of the new displacement cases, or 55% of them, are concentrated in Taiz Governorate, and “most of the sites hosting the displaced there are inaccessible due to the continuing conflict.”

The organization indicated that Jabal Habashi District leads the most affected areas in Taiz, with 32,346 people, followed by Al-Maafer (31,230 people), then Al-Shamaytain (24,942 people), “which are the districts that witnessed some of the most violent combat confrontations in recent days.”

The report indicated that Lahj Governorate comes in second place for the largest number of displaced people, hosting 45,390 people, followed by Aden with 26,112 people, with expectations that waves of displacement will continue in light of the escalation of military confrontations.