Authorities discover Poliovirus in Gaza Strip
Particularly in the southern Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation is catastrophic. Polioviruses have now been detected in the water there. The fear of an outbreak of the infectious disease is great.
According to reports, Polioviruses have been detected in water samples from the Gaza Strip. The analysis of the samples was coordinated with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, as stated by the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled coastal region. It warned of a "health disaster," as the virus spreads through water in refugee camps for families displaced by the Gaza War.
Media reports indicate that the Israeli Health Ministry also confirmed the detection of Poliovirus Type 2 in water samples. The World Health Organization (WHO) has made similar findings. Doctors also fear that a Cholera outbreak is increasingly likely without significant changes in living conditions in the Gaza Strip.
Polio is an infectious disease that mainly causes paralysis in children and can be fatal. The virus is often spread through contaminated water. There is no cure for the disease yet. Polio has been eradicated in most countries through vaccination campaigns. According to the Robert Koch Institute, the last two reported cases in Germany were identified in 1992.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge in overcrowded and unsanitary areas in the southern and central Gaza Strip, which doctors refer to as breeding grounds for diseases - especially during the summer when temperatures rise significantly. The discovery of Poliovirus traces puts thousands at risk of contracting Polio, the Hamas Ministry explained and demanded an end to the war, the delivery of clean water, and the repair of the sewage system in areas where internally displaced persons have sought refuge.
The presence of Polioviruses in the Gaza Strip's water sources has raised concerns within the Hamas-led government, as it could lead to a widespread outbreak. This is particularly alarming in the context of the Gaza Strip's ongoing humanitarian crisis, which has seen an increase in refugees living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. The Israeli Health Ministry, as well as the World Health Organization, have also confirmed the detection of the virus.
