Yemen's Houthis announce mobilization to fight COVID-19

SANA'A, Yemen

Yemen’s Houthi rebel group announced a comprehensive mobilization Tuesday to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in regions under its control.

According to the Houthi movement’s Al Massira TV, Taha Al-Mutawakkil, health minister of the Houthi-run administration in Sana’a, said they would make every effort to protect healthcare staff and called for support for the protection for healthcare personnel.

Yemen has 399 confirmed cases 87 deaths from the coronavirus, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions.

The pandemic has killed over 380,000 people worldwide, with more than 6.37 million confirmed cases, while recoveries have surpassed 2.72 million, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital Sana’a.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.

Tens of thousands of Yemenis, including civilians, are believed to have been killed in the conflict, which has led to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis as millions remain at risk of starvation.