WHO Extremely Concerned By Infectious Disease Threat In Gaza As War Rages

London: The World Health Organization (WHO) is very concerned about the growing threat of infectious diseases in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.

“As people continue to be massively displaced across the south of Gaza, with some families forced to move multiple times and many sheltering in overcrowded health facilities, my WHO colleagues and I remain very concerned about the increasing threat of infectious diseases,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Tedros wrote on social media platform X.

Israel has vowed to destroy Palestine militant organisation Hamas — considered a “terrorist” group by the United States and European Union – to avenge its October 7 attack on Israel which left around 1,150 people dead, mostly civilians, according to AFP.

More than half 250 hostages apprehended during the attack remain captive.

It’s been nearly three months, and Israel is continuing its relentless aerial bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza which have led to 21,320 deaths, mostly women and children, according to the Health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Tedros said that between mid-October and mid-December, people living in shelters had continued to fall sick.

The WHO chief informed that around 180,000 people are suffering from upper respiratory infections, while 136,500 cases of diarrhoea have been recorded. Tragically, half of those are among children aged under five.

The UN health agency head further stated that there had been 55,400 cases of lice and scabies; 5,330 cases of chickenpox; 42,700 cases of skin rash.

“WHO and partners are working tirelessly to support the health authorities to increase disease surveillance and control by supplying medicines, testing kits to support prompt detection and response to infectious diseases such as hepatitis, and trying to improve access to safe water, food, hygiene and sanitation services,” said Tedros.