WHO steps up efforts against dengue outbreak in southern Yemen

The World Health Organization (WHO) is intensifying its dengue fever control campaign in Yemen’s Aden and Lahj provinces, where a surge in cases since the start of the year has aggravated an already severe humanitarian crisis. Over 3900 infections and 14 deaths have been reported in the two provinces as of April. The WHO campaign aims to limit the spread of the disease and reduce fatalities, eliminating mosquito breeding sites and increasing public awareness about the virus. Both Aden and Lahj provinces are controlled by the internationally recognized government of Yemen. The country has been ravaged by civil war since 2014, with the Houthi militant group fighting the government supported by a Saudi-led coalition. The conflict has created what the United Nations considers the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.