Polio is ravaging Gaza’s population and threatening the world, UN warns

The United Nations has declared Gaza a dangerous epidemic zone and warned of a potential disaster among the Strip’s population that could spread rapidly and easily to other countries around the world.

Medical teams are deeply concerned about the emergence of poliomyelitis in northern Gaza, especially after the first case of the virus that causes the disease was reported.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the first case of poliovirus in Deir al-Balah, leading to increasing international warnings about the spread of this virus in the Strip.

Concerns have grown with the discovery that the virus has mutated into a stronger strain capable of causing paralysis among those who are not fully vaccinated. This coincides with a drop in vaccination rates, making the region a fertile ground for the virus.

UNICEF stated that the health situation has become catastrophic, especially since the detected case involves a 10-month-old infant. This is the first case in 25 years and highlights how chaotic, dangerous, and desperate the situation in Gaza has become, according to the international organization.

Doctors confirm that the conditions in which nearly 1.9 million displaced people in Gaza live—crammed into unsanitary camps with limited access to clean water and untreated sewage flowing openly between the tents—create an ideal environment for the virus to thrive.

Since the war broke out last October, 70% of Gaza’s water and sanitation facilities have been severely damaged, and around 340,000 tons of solid waste have accumulated in populated areas or nearby, according to estimates from the United Nations’ water, sanitation, and hygiene group.