Infectious Disease Risk Spikes in Gaza: WHO’s Urgent Plea as Bugs and Rodents Swarm

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on November 8th (local time) that the risk of infectious disease spread has increased in the Gaza Strip of Palestine.

In a statement, the WHO said, “With the escalation of hostile actions in the Gaza Strip, the number of deaths and injuries continues to increase, and the overcrowding of the population, the collapse of the health, water, and sanitation systems, pose additional risks. This leads directly to the rapid spread of infectious diseases.” The organization added that “some worrying trends are already emerging.”

The health system collapsed due to Israeli airstrikes, and the supply of clean water was cut off, creating an environment conducive to the spread of diseases as people flocked to shelters.

In particular, densely populated areas have seen a significant increase in people with diarrhea symptoms due to the shutdown of desalination facilities caused by fuel shortages.

According to the WHO, more than 33,551 cases of diarrhea have been reported since mid-October, with the majority occurring among children under five. This is a sharp increase compared to the monthly average of 2,000 cases reported in this age group in 2021 and 2022.

Waste collection has also been halted due to fuel shortages. The WHO noted that this leads to “rapid and widespread spread of disease-carrying insects and rodents.” It further explained that “health facilities can’t take basic infection prevention measures, increasing the risk of infection from trauma, surgery, childbirth, etc.”

The WHO warned that “the risk of disease spread is accelerating as regular vaccination activities have been halted and there is a shortage of medicines for treating infectious diseases.”

Additionally, the UN and WHO announced in a statement that emergency medical supplies and medicines have arrived at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. This is the second delivery of relief supplies to this hospital since the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The statement read, “The amount of relief supplies is woefully inadequate to meet the enormous demand in the Gaza Strip. The medical situation in Al-Shifa is disastrous.” It urged humanitarian organizations to supply fuel, adding, “Without fuel, operating facilities such as hospitals, desalination facilities, and bakeries is impossible. As a result, more people will certainly die.”

By. Yoon Ju Hae