The Health Ministry in Gaza has officially declared a polio epidemic in the Palestinian territory, attributing it to the devastating military offensives by Israel. In a statement on Telegram, the ministry announced on Monday that the situation “poses a health threat to residents of Gaza and neighboring states”—a clear indication of the growing public health crisis prompted by the war since October.
The ministry characterized the epidemic as a “setback” for the global polio eradication program and called for “immediate intervention” to stop Israeli aggression, as well as to address the dire shortage of drinking water, sanitation, and the destruction of sewage systems. Poliomyelitis, primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, is a highly contagious virus that can attack the nervous system and cause paralysis. Since 1988, polio cases have decreased by 99 percent globally, thanks to extensive vaccination campaigns.
Earlier this month, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported, in partnership with UNICEF, the discovery of “type 2 component poliovirus.” The virus was found in sewage water, which “accumulates and flows between the tents of displaced persons,” the ministry stated. The already limited fresh water resources in the densely populated Gaza Strip now risk being contaminated by the virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it is sending over a million polio vaccines to Gaza, which will be administered in the coming weeks to prevent infections among children, following the detection of the virus in sewage samples. The Israeli military has acknowledged the presence of “type 2 component poliovirus” and announced plans to offer polio vaccines to soldiers in Gaza. The ongoing conflict has severely damaged sewage systems and water supplies, resulting in sewage water flowing in the streets near some of the camps for displaced Palestinians.
Last week, the United Nations reported a widespread rise in cases of Hepatitis A, dysentery, and gastroenteritis due to worsening sanitation conditions in Gaza. “This is just the beginning of the wave of diseases that the Gaza Strip will face,” stated Hind Khoudary from Al Jazeera, reporting from Deir-al Balah in central Gaza. “Palestinians are living in temporary tents without bathrooms, without hygiene, and without access to water and sanitation. Sewage is everywhere,” she added.
Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care specialist, remarked in an interview that the presence of the polio virus in sewage is a “ticking bomb.” “Normally, you would isolate a polio patient and ensure they have access to restrooms, but that is impossible under the current conditions,” she said. “Everyone is gathered in refugee camps without vaccines for at least nine months, including children who would otherwise have been vaccinated against polio.”