In Yemen, coronavirus is killing off the educated elite

Already ravaged by war and famine, Yemen is suffering another blow to its future as the coronavirus kills off dozens of the country's top public servants, academics and the most educated. While a lack of widespread testing is masking the true scale of the crisis, scores of doctors, academics, engineers, politicians, judges, lawyers and business leaders, as well as high-ranking members of the Houthi militia, are thought to be among the dead as the virus spreads. It is a devastating blow for a county that has already suffered six years of civil war, further scuppering hopes for recovery as the government and institutions will struggle to fill the skills gap. The loss of leading members of society has also taken a toll on public morale.