Yemen warns of ‘possible’ second coronavirus wave 

Health authorities in the government-controlled part of Yemen have warned that hospitals must prepare for a “possible” second wave of coronavirus and take measures to prevent the disease from spreading.

Testing and monitoring are limited in the war-torn country, but the number of new cases has risen in the past ten days, after recording only two cases a day since September.

The internationally-recognised government’s Supreme National Emergency Committee announced a total of 22 new cases on both Monday and Tuesday.

Yemen is divided between the government, which is temporarily based in the south, and the Houthi group that ousted it from power in the capital city of Sana’a in late 2014.

The Yemeni government has so far reported a total of 2,221 coronavirus cases and 624 deaths. While Houthi authorities have not provided figures since May, when they reported only four cases and one death.

Yemen’s six-year-long conflict escalated when a Saudi-led coalition intervened in early 2015 to restore the government to power. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of an “imminent famine” in Yemen, describing the situation as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

READ: UN aid chief urges Gulf states to step up to avert Yemen famine