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A variant of the poliovirus has been found in six wastewater samples collected from Khan Younis and Deir Al Balah, two municipalities in southern and central Gaza.
The Gaza Health Ministry has labeled the findings a “health disaster” in a recent Facebook update. The detection of Type 2 poliovirus, known to trigger the disease polio, followed testing conducted in conjunction with UNICEF.
Local authorities attribute the emergence of the virus to the extreme overcrowding in limited spaces along with a shortage of clean water in the region. The samples were taken from sewage systems that flow through densely populated areas and encampments for displaced individuals.
Polio is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects the central nervous system and can lead to severe muscle weakness or paralysis. While many cases may remain asymptomatic and undiscovered, health officials have indicated that no cases of polio-related symptoms have been reported in Gaza to date, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Connections to Recent Variants
The WHO declared wild poliovirus Type 2 eradicated in 2015, yet the variant identified in Gaza is classified as vaccine-derived. It is notably present in regions with low immunization rates, where the live weakened virus from the oral polio vaccine can spread among children.
Vaccination figures in the occupied Palestinian territories were estimated at 99% in 2022 but have reportedly dropped to 89% in 2023, as per WHO data, though specific statistics for Gaza were not provided. Contributing factors such as poor sanitation amidst ongoing conflict and reduced vaccination efforts are believed to have played a role in the resurgence of this virus.
The variant seen in Gaza has a direct link to cases circulating in Egypt during late 2023; WHO reported that it was last identified in Egypt in December 2023. Research suggests it may have reached Gaza as early as September 2023.
Vaccine Initiative by IDF
Testing by Israel’s health ministry has also uncovered traces of poliovirus in wastewater sourced from Gaza. In response, a booster vaccination campaign has been initiated for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troops stationed in the area. The military confirmed that vaccinations would be administered during standard troop rotations on a voluntary basis.
Additionally, the IDF reported a collaboration with international organizations to facilitate the delivery of vaccines intended for over half of Gaza’s population, which exceeds two million individuals.
WATCH | A mother bathes her child with sand, amid few hygiene products in Gaza:
With few options for hygiene products, displaced Gazans resort to bathing with sand
Basic hygiene products such as soap and shampoo have become increasingly scarce for many residents in Gaza. Even locally produced items are not reliably available, a cleaning supply store owner noted. Given the circumstances, some parents are resorting to using sand as a means to clean their children, raising its own health concerns.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has severely damaged its healthcare infrastructure, now nearly ten months into the Israel-Hamas war. Israel has accused Hamas of utilizing hospitals for military purposes and of employing civilians as human shields. Conversely, Hamas has countered that the term “human shields” does not reflect the reality faced by thousands of Palestinian civilians trapped amid the violence.
As per WHO reports, only 16 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are functioning to some degree, and just 45 out of 105 primary healthcare facilities remain operational.
Sanitary Conditions and Health Risks
Reports indicate that the conditions in camps for internally displaced persons in Gaza are alarmingly poor. Overcrowded living conditions, lack of access to clean water, restrooms, and hygiene supplies have worsened the situation. Many camps are situated adjacent to massive garbage dumps.
The Gaza Health Ministry has urged an end to hostilities so repairs on sewage infrastructure can proceed and allow displaced residents in compact camps to return to their homes.
On July 19, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the necessity for a ceasefire to facilitate a robust response to the virus detection. He remarked on the previously optimal vaccination rates in Gaza prior to the onset of conflict and mentioned ongoing efforts by UNICEF and WHO to conduct risk assessments and devise strategies to curb the virus spread, including immediate vaccination campaigns.
Source
www.cbc.ca