War-ravaged Yemen confirms first coronavirus case

Yemen reported its first case of the novel coronavirus on Friday (April 10) as aid groups try to prepare for an outbreak in a country where war has shattered the health system and spread hunger and disease.

The case was diagnosed in the southern oil-producing region of Hadhramaut, the supreme national emergency committee said.

The patient was a Yemeni, working in the small commercial port of Ash Shihr, a local official told Reuters.

Authorities ordered the closure of Ash Shihr port for a week for deep cleaning and instructed workers there to isolate at home for two weeks, according to a directive seen by Reuters.

They also imposed a 12-hour nightly curfew in all Hadhramaut districts starting from 6:00 pm Friday until further notice. Civil defense vehicles near the port were ordering people through loudspeakers to stay home, residents said.

Yemen has been mired in violence since the Iran-aligned Houthi movement overthrew the government in the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014, prompting the Saudi-led coalition to intervene. The Houthis still control Sanaa and most large urban centers.

The five-year-old conflict has killed more than 100,000 and pushed millions to the brink of famine.