Yemen reports first 2 COVID-19 linked deaths

Yemen has registered the first two coronavirus-related fatalities, the Health Minister Nasser Baoum said on Thursday.

On April 10, Yemen reported its first COVID-19 case in the eastern province of Hadramaut. On Wednesday, the tally of infections increased to six after five more cases were confirmed in the interim capital of Aden in the country's south.

"Five coronavirus cases have been announced, among them two deaths," the minister said in a phone conversation with the state-run Yemen TV broadcaster.

Baoum added that the Health Ministry had tested the patients twice and the results came back positive.

Following the increase in cases, the United Nations expressed its concern over an outbreak that could potentially overwhelm the country's already fragile health care system.

Yemen has been facing a long-running armed conflict between the government forces and the Houthi rebel movement, which has resulted in a massive humtarian crisis.

( With inputs from ANI )