Coronavirus committee asks for ‘state of emergency in Yemen‏

Yemen’s coronavirus committee urged the government Tuesday to declare a public health “state of emergency” after a surge in infections in the country.

Six years of war has left Yemen’s weak health care system in ruins, and this week the country reported more than 100 cases in a day, much higher than figures at the beginning of the year.

It has officially recorded some 3,500 cases of COVID-19 including 771 deaths since the pandemic began, but testing is scant.

Most clinics are ill-equipped to determine causes of death, and many fear the real toll is far higher.

The Supreme National Emergency Committee for Coronavirus is linked to the internationally recognized government, which has been battling Iran-backed Houthi militia since 2014.

The committee called on the government to “declare a (public) health state of emergency in all provinces, prepare health centers and hospital, and provide medical staff with personal protective equipment.”

The committee called for the implementation of a “partial curfew” and for the closure of wedding halls, shopping centers and mosques outside of prayer times.

The United Nations has warned that the coronavirus pandemic could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, which has been pushed to the brink of famine.