The World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean warned of the high risk of disease spreading in Gaza with the disruption of health facilities, water and sanitation networks.
The organization said in a statement on its website, today, Thursday, that with the continued increase in the number of deaths and injuries in Gaza due to the escalation of Israeli bombing operations, the severe crowding in shelters and the disruption of the health system and water and sanitation networks add another danger represented by the rapid spread of infectious diseases, and some have begun Worrying trends are already emerging.
She added, "This situation is worrying, especially for the approximately 1.5 million displaced people throughout Gaza, especially those living in overcrowded shelters that do not have access to personal hygiene facilities and clean water, which increases the risk of transmission of infectious diseases."
The fuel shortage also led to the closure of water desalination plants, which increased the risk of the spread of bacterial infection, with the increase in polluted water, in addition to the disruption of all solid waste collection work, which created a favorable environment for the rapid and widespread spread of insects and rodents that can transmit diseases or act as intermediaries. she has.
The statement indicated that UNRWA, the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health are working to expand the scope of a flexible disease surveillance system in many of these shelters and health facilities, and this system has monitored current disease trends that raise serious concerns.
He stated that since mid-October, more than 33,551 cases of illness resulting from bacterial infections have been reported, the majority of whom are children, which represents a significant increase considering that the average was not more than two thousand monthly infections for children during the years 2021 and 2022, and 1,005 cases were reported. Chicken pox, 12,635 cases of skin rash, and 54,866 cases of upper respiratory tract infection.
The organization called for the rapid arrival of humanitarian aid to various parts of the Gaza Strip, including fuel, water, food and medical supplies, calling for a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons to put an end to the loss of life and suffering.
