DUBAI: Coronavirus death rate is increasing in Yemen鈥檚 Sanaa, the international humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said, contrary to what the Houthi militants have been claiming.
Houthi militants, who control the area, have only confirmed four coronavirus cases and one death, international Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Friday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 most evident in the intensive care unit in Sanaa, which has 15 beds and has been full most of the time for the last four weeks, and where the team have witnessed a high rate of deaths,鈥� MSF said in a statement.
鈥淭here has been a strange mixture of fear and denial about the virus here,鈥� MSF鈥檚 Yemen mission head Clair HaDuong added.
MSF warned that the coronavirus is spreading across Yemen, while HaDuong explained that many people do not want to believe the virus can reach the country or admit it is already spreading.
鈥淔ive years of fighting had caused Yemen鈥檚 healthcare system to collapse in large parts ... Now COVID-19 has made that collapse complete, with many hospitals closing for fear of the virus,鈥� she added.
HaDuong said the virus can kill many people in Yemen, but more people might die due to a lack of appropriate healthcare. She called on local authorities to cooperate with international organizations like MSF to help address the situation.
鈥淭hey need to ensure the entry of medical supplies and international staff to reinforce teams on the ground,鈥� HaDuong said.
On Thursday, Yemen鈥檚 Minister of Public Health and Population Nasser Ba-aum said nearly 30 million Yemenis face the risk of coronavirus, malaria, dengue fever, cholera, typhoid and chikungunya.
The country has a limited number of medical equipment, he explained.
鈥淭he government is working hard to provide medicine and medical equipment 鈥� in cooperation with international organizations and a number of regional and international partners,鈥� he said, adding that 鈥渄espite having medical experts, Yemen lacked financial support and equipment.鈥�
Houthis continue to hide coronavirus related figures and obstruct humanitarian aid despite governmental calls for transparency, Ba-aum said.
Earlier this month, the country鈥檚 Information Minister Muammar Al-Iryani said Houthis are leaving thousands of Yemeni COVID-19 patients in Sanaa and other areas under their control to die of the disease.
Yemeni citizens who have the virus or are suspected of having it are staying at home out of fear they will be killed in hospital by 鈥渓ethal injections鈥� administered by Houthis, he added.