The World Health Organization warned on Friday that respiratory illnesses are rising sharply in Gaza, and that conditions could get worse after heavy rains flooded tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians.
Dr Reinhilde Van De Weerdt, the WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, told reporters in Geneva from Jerusalem that “the numbers already show the pressure.” She said acute respiratory infections are 33,000 cases higher than at the same point last year.
Overcrowding and flooding fuel infections
WHO said poor living conditions and severe overcrowding are driving up infections as Gaza’s population is squeezed into an ever-smaller area. The situation has worsened as the Israeli military expands its control by advancing the “yellow line,” a demarcation set under October’s US-brokered ceasefire.
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Van De Weerdt said people living in more crowded conditions face a greater risk of viruses spreading between humans. Respiratory infections now account for 11% of all consultations, and WHO expects cold weather, flooding, overcrowded shelters and poor ventilation to push that figure higher.
“It is shocking that just a few days of rain really showed us what the coming months will bring,” Van De Weerdt said. “The worst really is yet to come.”
Displaced families in flood-exposed areas
According to WHO, nearly a million displaced people in Gaza live in flood-exposed areas, and 400,000 of them are in locations considered at extremely high risk. The agency said flooding raises the risk of contaminated water, while standing water gives mosquitoes and pests more places to breed.
WHO also said dampness encourages mould and bacteria, which are major drivers of respiratory infections, especially in young children. The Israeli military and COGAT, the military agency that coordinates aid, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Laboratory supplies face entry difficulties
WHO said most medicines are reaching Gaza, but it is struggling to get laboratory supplies, which it describes as vital for diagnosing patients before they can be treated. Van De Weerdt called for laboratory equipment to be allowed in, warning that outbreaks must be prevented to avoid “a public health disaster on top of a disaster.”
