UN Warns COVID-19 is ‘Roaring Back' as Yemen Faces Famine

UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Thursday that the world's largest humanitarian crisis in Yemen is getting even worse with the COVID-19 pandemic “roaring back” in recent weeks as the Arab world's poorest country faces a large-scale famine.

In a grim update to the U.N. Security Council, Mark Lowcock said tens of thousands of people already are starving to death, with another 5 million just a step behind. Lowcock added that March was also the deadliest so far this year for civilians, with more than 200 killed or injured as a result of hostilities -- a quarter of the casualties in the oil-rich central province of Marib where Houthi rebel forces are pressing a military offensive. In March, nearly 350 private homes were also damaged or destroyed, he said. To stop the “unfolding catastrophe,” Lowcock called for urgent action on protecting civilians, access for humanitarian aid, funding, support for Yemen's economic and progress toward peace.