Epidemic disaster in Gaza 5 000 cases of chickenpox per week

Director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, Bassam Zaqout, warned of an unprecedented deterioration in the health situation in the Gaza Strip, confirming that approximately 5,000 cases of chickenpox are being recorded weekly, along with the emergence of tuberculosis cases.

Zaqout emphasized that the Strip is witnessing a rapid spread of infectious diseases among displaced persons, noting that “around 5,000 cases of chickenpox are being recorded weekly in the Gaza Strip.”

In a press statement, he explained that “the spread of diseases is linked to the shortage and weakness of vaccinations and the decline in immunity, under the catastrophic health conditions caused by the occupation.” He warned that “the recording of cases of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis is alarming and requires urgent intervention” to prevent the Strip from becoming a breeding ground for epidemics that threaten the lives of thousands of children and adults.

For his part, the head of the pediatrics department at Nasser Medical Complex, Ahmed Al-Farra, announced the registration of approximately 10,000 diagnosed cases of chickenpox among children, an exceptional and unprecedented number, with expectations of a rise in infections in the coming period.

Al-Farra confirmed that a two-year-old child died from complications of chickenpox, due to the lack of vaccines in the Gaza Strip, and that the health situation of children is steadily deteriorating.

Al-Farra attributed the high number of infections to overcrowding in shelters, shortages of medicines and medical supplies, and the decline in healthcare—factors that accelerate the spread of infectious diseases. He emphasized that cases of malnutrition among children have increased significantly, while health indicators reflect a widespread decline, with anemia rates among pregnant women reaching 50–55% and miscarriages rising to approximately 47%.

Health experts link these alarming indicators to the systematic and deliberate destruction of the health infrastructure in the Gaza Strip,