ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the government-controlled Yemeni provinces reached 7,347 on Tuesday with 39 new cases, as the country's health authorities declared a third wave of the coronavirus.
According to a brief statement released by the country's Ministry of Health, two new deaths and 17 recoveries were also officially recorded by the medical teams.
It said that the total confirmed deaths reached 1,407 and recoveries rose to 4,543 in the government-controlled provinces.
Meanwhile, Yemen's health minister Qassem Buhaibah declared that his country began battling a third wave of COVID-19, calling on the people for adherence to the precautionary measures.
He said that that "during the past week, a sharp rise of confirmed COVID-19 cases were officially detected and some medical centers began to be crowded with patients as the third wave of the infection is spreading."
The Yemeni minister urged the citizens in the war-ravaged Arab country to abide by the precautionary procedures approved by the health authorities in their regions.
Last month, the United Nations warned that COVID-19 cases have increased in Yemen, triggering fears that the country is facing the third wave of the pandemic amid the worsening humanitarian crisis.
So far, just over 310,000 vaccine doses have been administered in Yemen, meaning that only 1 percent of its population have got their first dose. This takes place against a backdrop of dire humanitarian needs, conflict and the threat of famine, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
More than half of Yemenis face crisis levels of food insecurity, and 5 million people are one step away from famine. As the value of the Yemeni currency continues to plummet, more and more Yemenis are being pushed to the brink, it said.
The 3.85-billion-U.S.-dollar humanitarian response plan for Yemen is currently only 47 percent funded, and most of the money available will run out in September, said the OCHA. "Additional and predictable funding is urgently needed so that people can continue receiving the lifesaving assistance." Enditem
