Public Health and Population Minister Dr. Nasser Ba'oum announced Tuesday that a preliminary team of experts will arrive in the interim capital Aden on Thursday to begin planning for a 100-bed integrated medical unit to cope with coronavirus.

"The government is harnessing all the possibilities available to counter the new corona epidemic and is coordinating with donors and international organizations to support government efforts in this area," the minister said in a statement published by the government-controlled Saba News agency.

The team consists of Dr. Nicholas McCoe, a British national, and Dr. Marcus Hotil, a German national.

"UNDP has contracted with ASPEN Medical, a global provider of emergency healthcare solutions, to begin the integrated medical unit for the treatment and reception of corona cases, including an intensive care unit," Ba’oum said.

Also on Tuesday, the national committee on coronavirus announced that 16 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in various governorates of the republic, including four deaths.

Hadhramout had the highest number of new cases, with 10 recorded, including four deaths. Four cases were recorded in Taiz and two cases in Abyan. A patient in Hadhramout who had previously tested positive for coronavirus died, the committee said.  

These new cases bring the total number of recorded cases in the country to 249, including 49 deaths and 10 recoveries. Yemen’s first known case was reported on April 10 in Hadhramout. 

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned on Tuesday that its work in Yemen is approaching a "potential breaking point" as the coronavirus continues to spread and more families resort to begging, child labor and child marriage.

About 80 percent of Yemen's malnourished population is dependent on humanitarian aid, making Yemen the site of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, even prior to the spread of coronavirus. 

Last week, the United Nations said Yemen’s health care system had "collapsed" and launched an appeal for urgent funding.

"We are reaching a potential collapse point in our programs where many of our programs, particularly our cash assistance programmes for internally displaced Yemenis, may have to be discontinued if we do not receive additional funding soon," UNHCR spokesman Charlie Yaxley said in a virtual briefing on Tuesday.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Tuesday that it has received about 15 percent of the required $3.38 billion funding for Yemen’s 2020 humanitarian response plan and that the United States is the largest donor.

Saudi Arabia, which is leading a military coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis, is scheduled to host an online conference to pledge aid with the UN on June 2.

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Editing by Ahlam Mohsen and Casey Coombs