Yemen Reports First Two Deaths from Coronavirus

By Staff, Agencies

Yemen reported multiple coronavirus infections and two deaths linked to the COVID-19 disease for the first time Wednesday and an official in the southern port of Aden said the number of cases was very likely to increase in the coming days.

The United Nations has said it fears the novel coronavirus could be spreading undetected in a country where millions face famine and lack medical care after Yemen announced its first COVID-19 case in the southern Hadhramout province on April 10.

Authorities told Reuters they have been unable to track down "patient zero" for Yemen's infections, an important step in tracing people potentially exposed to infection and containing an outbreak.

On Tuesday, the United Nations said there was a "very real probability" the virus was circulating within communities.

Health workers say the virus could spread rapidly in a country where 24 million people - 80 percent of the population - rely on aid, and 10 million are at risk of famine.