Polio outbreak declared in Gaza Strip due to military operations
Kyiv • UNN
Gaza's Ministry of Health reports an outbreak of polio caused by a humanitarian crisis due to Israeli military action. The WHO is sending more than a million doses of the vaccine, and the UN reports the spread of other diseases in the region.
The Gaza Ministry of Health has announced an outbreak of polio caused by the deteriorating humanitarian situation due to Israeli military actions. This is reported by Al-Jazeera, UNN reports.
Details
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip has announced an outbreak of polio in the region, which has caused considerable concern among Gazans and neighboring countries.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the epidemic was the result of serious humanitarian crises caused by Israeli military actions. The war has led to a significant shortage of drinking water, hygiene products, and damage to sewer networks, which has created favorable conditions for the spread of the virus. The accumulation of waste in residential areas also exacerbates the situation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has already announced that it is sending more than one million doses of polio vaccine to Gaza. The vaccines will be distributed in the coming weeks to prevent further infection of children. The polio virus was detected in wastewater samples taken from Gaza last week.
The virus, which is transmitted orally through feces, can cause paralysis and other serious complications. Since 1988, mass vaccination has reduced the number of polio cases worldwide by 99 percent.
The Israeli army has also announced the introduction of polio vaccines for its soldiers in Gaza to prevent the spread of the infection among the military.
Last week, the UN also reported the spread of other diseases, such as hepatitis A, dysentery and gastroenteritis, which have resulted from the humanitarian crisis in the region.
