By Staff, Agencies Malnutrition among young children soared to the highest levels ever recorded in parts of war-torn Yemen, the UN said Tuesday, as coronavirus and shortfalls in aid funding worsen a humanitarian crisis. More than half a million cases of acute malnutrition among children under five were recorded in the south, and the results of a survey of the north currently under way are expected to be "equally concerning", it said.

A 15.5 percent increase in severe malnutrition in the age group has left at least 98,000 at "high risk of dying" unless they receive urgent treatment, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Program and the UN children's fund UNICEF said in a statement.

"The data we are releasing today confirms that acute malnutrition among children is hitting the highest levels we have seen since the war started," said Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Yemen.

More than 24 million people, nearly 80 percent of the population, depend on some form of aid for survival, and this year the situation has deteriorated sharply.

"Escalating conflict and economic decline, plus the overwhelming impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, has pushed an already exhausted population to the brink," the UN said, adding that aid programs, including emergency food assistance, have been disrupted as funds dry up.

Only $1.43 billion of the $3.2 billion needed to fund Yemen aid projects had been received by mid-October.

In September, the UN said that critical aid had been cut at 300 health centers and more than a third of its major humanitarian programs had been reduced or shut down entirely