COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen
The first confirmed case relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen was announced on 10 April 2020 with an occurrence in Hadhramaut. Organizations called the news a "devastating blow" and a "nightmare scenario" given the country's already dire humanitarian situation.
| COVID-19 pandemic in Yemen | |
|---|---|
| Disease | COVID-19 |
| Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
| Location | Yemen |
| First outbreak | Wuhan, Hubei, China |
| Index case | Hadhramaut |
| Arrival date | 10 April 2020 (4 years, 1 week and 3 days) |
| Confirmed cases | 11,945 |
| Recovered | 9,786 |
Deaths | 2,159 |
| Fatality rate | 18.07% |
The country is seen to be extremely vulnerable to the outbreak, given the dire humanitarian situation due to the Yemeni Civil War, exacerbated by the ongoing famine, cholera outbreaks, and military blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies. The Yemeni healthcare system has been "all but decimated" by the war, with many healthcare facilities destroyed by airstrikes and shelling and a lack of healthcare workers. Despite the end of the pandemic in the majority of the world, Yemen and Syria still struggle with the pandemic cause of poverty.