In Yemen’s north, Houthis face virus with outright denial

By SAMY MAGDY
The Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Yemenis in the country’s north are dying because of a lack of hospital beds, many at home. But it’s not just a struggling health care system that’s to blame. An information blackout has characterized the coronavirus response of Yemen’s Houthi authorities since the beginning of the pandemic. Since early 2020, the rebel group, which controls northern Yemen, has announced only one virus death. Rights groups and local health workers are sounding the alarm about the campaign of denial that has not only obscured the scale of the problem, but also hindered the sick from being diagnosed and getting treatment. Now, the territories look set to fail to vaccinate their vulnerable population.