Gaza Herald – The United Nations has warned of a widespread outbreak of chickenpox among displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as deteriorating health and environmental conditions in displacement shelters fuel the spread of infectious diseases.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the UN said approximately 9,300 cases of chickenpox had been recorded over the past two weeks.
More than half of the reported infections were registered in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, where overcrowded displacement sites, deteriorating water and sanitation services, and soaring summer temperatures have created conditions conducive to rapid transmission of the virus.
The UN also reported that its field teams found rodents and parasites in 83% of displacement sites, alongside mounting piles of waste, untreated sewage, and stagnant water, all of which are significantly increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, particularly among children and displaced families.
The organization warned that the continued deterioration of humanitarian and environmental conditions in Gaza threatens to deepen the public health crisis, calling for urgent improvements to water and sanitation services and a strengthened health response to contain the spread of communicable diseases.
