The Gaza Strip has recently witnessed a significant increase in the spread of infectious diseases, most notably smallpox, particularly among children, amidst dire humanitarian and health conditions.
Field reports indicate that the spread of smallpox among children in Gaza is directly linked to the deteriorating environmental and health conditions. The accumulation of waste and sewage overflows have created an ideal environment for the transmission of skin and infectious diseases among displaced people, especially in overcrowded shelters.
Symptoms and Rapid Transmission
Smallpox is characterized by symptoms that begin with fever, fatigue, and body aches, before progressing to a rash and blisters that spread across various parts of the body.
The disease is easily transmitted through respiratory droplets or direct contact with infected individuals, which increases its severity in overcrowded displacement camps.
Dr. Jamil Suleiman, head of Al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital in the Gaza Strip, confirmed that the Strip has recently witnessed a significant increase in the rates of infectious diseases, most notably chickenpox, especially among children.
In press statements, Dr. Suleiman explained that chickenpox, known for its rapid spread among children, now poses a double threat due to the difficult environmental conditions.
The head of Al-Rantisi Hospital indicated that overcrowding in homes and shelters in the Gaza Strip directly contributes to accelerating the transmission of infections among children.
He believes that the outbreak of diseases is not limited to chickenpox, but also includes various skin diseases resulting from environmental pollution, particularly with the spread of rodents and insects such as mosquitoes, in addition to animal waste, which exacerbates the overall health situation in the Strip.
He warned that the severe environmental degradation in Gaza, resulting from the accumulation of waste and the lack of proper wastewater treatment, has created a fertile environment for the spread of viruses and skin diseases.
