Yemen appeals for int'l help to stem coronavirus

SANAA

The Yemeni government on Sunday appealed for help from the international community to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Yemeni authorities have confirmed seven fatalities and 34 infections from the virus in areas under the government's control.

"Medical reports refer to the death and infection of scores of civilians in the light of the crippling health system resulting from the continued war and scarcity of resources," the Ministry of Human Rights said in a statement.

It appealed to world countries to "urgently intervene to save civilians through a package of arrangements that help provide medical care".

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including Sanaa. 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 numerous civilians, are since believed to have been killed in the conflict, while another 14 million are at risk of starvation, according to the UN.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara