
Polio epidemic declared in Gaza
Last Updated on July 31, 2024 9:14 am
The total number of dead in the barbaric Israeli attack on the occupied Palestinian territory of Gaza has now exceeded 39 thousand 360. 90 thousand 923 people were injured. In the meantime, the Ministry of Health has declared polio epidemic in this small valley.
In a statement on messaging app Telegram on Monday (July 29), Gaza’s Ministry of Health said the situation posed a health threat to residents of Gaza and neighboring countries.
The Hamas-run health ministry has called the new outbreak in Gaza a setback for polio eradication programs around the world. It also called for immediate intervention to stop the Israeli offensive to remove food and personal hygiene, damaged sewage networks and tons of garbage.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health announced the detection of component poliovirus type 2 in Gaza. In this work they have coordinated with the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF. The virus has been found in sewage, which is collected from and flows through tents sheltering displaced Palestinians.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the shipment of more than 1 million polio vaccines to Gaza last Friday after the virus was detected in the sewage system. These vaccines will be given to the children in the coming days to protect them from this virus.
It should be noted that since the unprecedented cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, Israel has been carrying out continuous air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip. Thousands of buildings including hospitals, schools, refugee camps, mosques, churches have been damaged or destroyed in this Israeli attack.
In addition, more than two million residents have been forced to leave their homes due to Israeli aggression.
Basically the Israeli invasion has reduced Gaza to rubble. According to the United Nations, about 85 percent of Gaza’s Palestinians have been displaced by Israel’s brutal offensive. And with acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, all of Gaza is now food insecure.