Gaza, July 19: The Gaza Ministry of Health has issued a warning after detecting poliovirus in sewage samples from the territory. This discovery places thousands of displaced individuals living in overcrowded camps at risk of contracting polio, a disease known for causing severe deformities and paralysis.
Recent tests conducted in collaboration with UNICEF revealed the presence of poliovirus in Gaza’s wastewater, following a prolonged Israeli military offensive that began on October 7 after Hamas attacks. Israeli health authorities confirmed the presence of poliovirus type 2 in samples analyzed in Israeli labs, a finding also corroborated by the World Health Organization.
The Gaza Ministry highlighted the dire conditions contributing to this health crisis, including severe overcrowding, contaminated water, and inadequate sanitation. The ongoing conflict has led to the collapse of infrastructure, with wastewater treatment facilities shutting down due to fuel shortages. This has resulted in significant amounts of untreated sewage accumulating in residential areas.
UN agencies, which have been working to eradicate polio globally for decades, face a challenging situation in Gaza. Polio, primarily spread through contaminated water and sewage, has seen a resurgence in regions like Afghanistan and Pakistan and isolated instances in Nigeria in recent years.
The Gaza Ministry has called for an immediate halt to military operations to facilitate the delivery of clean water and the restoration of sewage treatment services. They warn that continued conflict will exacerbate the risk of polio and other diseases spreading among the 700,000 displaced civilians in the region.
Israeli health officials are monitoring the situation closely but have not yet provided a comprehensive response to the Gaza Ministry’s calls for assistance.