UN: Cholera Depleting Famine Resources

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- The United Nations is warning that the cholera outbreak in Yemen is depleting aid resources to the point they won't be able to provide food to the famine-stricken country through the summer.

Jamie McGoldrick, U.N. humanitarian chief in Yemen, said Thursday that 923 people have died of the disease and there are now 124,002 suspected cases. He says that number could double by September.

McGoldrick says battling cholera in the country beset by civil war has pulled resources away from work the agency is doing to battle famine and by September could cut into the food aid pipeline to the country, the Arab world's poorest nation.

Aid agencies have received $600 million of the $2.1 billion they estimate is needed to avert widespread starvation and death by treatable disease.

(KA)