RAMALLAH: The Health Ministry today registered the first case of poliovirus in the southern governorates of the war-torn Gaza Strip.

It said in a press release that the case is that of a 10-month-old newborn who has not received any vaccination for polio in the city of Deir al-Balah. Doctors suspected that the newborn exhibited symptoms identical to those of polio. Tests conducted in Amman confirmed that the newborn contracted a strain of vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV).

It confirmed that it would carry out a vital polio vaccination campaign within the coming few days targeting children under 10 years old, noting that 1,200,000 type 2 polio vaccine doses were secured in coordination with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and work is underway to secure 400,000 doses.

It stressed that the Gaza Strip was facing a health catastrophe as a result of the ongoing Israeli genocidal aggression, explaining that the lack of basic hygiene and sanitary items as well as of wastewater services, waste accumula
tion on streets and around displaced people shelters in addition to the lack of safe potable water have created a favourable environment for the spread of many epidemics, including water-borne diseases, such as VDPV.

It urged the international community and international health organizations to urgently intervene to halt the Israeli genocidal aggression on the Strip and create the conditions for salvaging what is possible and immediately providing healthcare for the Gaza population.

It called on all international organizations and bodies to take immediate action to rebuild safe potable water and wastewater systems, dispose of solid and medical waste, ensure the entry of fuel for pumping clean freshwater and secure the unconditional entry of medical and hygiene supplies to the Strip.

Source: Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA