Very concerned about infectious diseases in Gaza: WHO Chief Tedros

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that he is “very concerned” about the growing threat of infectious diseases in the 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,” Tedros said on X.

He said that since mid-October until mid-December, people living in shelters have continued to fall sick.

Giving details of the catastrophic health situation in Gaza, the WHO Chief wrote that close to 180,000 people are suffering upper respiratory infections.

“There are at least 136,400 cases of diarrhoea half of these among children aged under 5; 55,400 cases of lice and scabies; 5,330 cases of chickenpox; 42,700 cases of skin rash, including 4722 cases of impetigo; 4,683 cases of Acute Jaundice Syndrome; and 126 cases of meningitis,” Tedros said.

He said that WHO and partners are working tirelessly to support the health authorities to increase disease surveillance and control by supplying medicines, and testing kits to support the prompt detection.

“We are working to respond to stop infectious diseases such as hepatitis, and trying to improve access to safe water, food, hygiene and sanitation services,” the WHO Chief said.