Over 9,000 Chickenpox Cases Emerge in Gaza Amid Severe Sanitation Crisis

More than 9,300 cases of chickenpox have been reported in the Gaza Strip within just two weeks, according to a Sky News report citing UN data and the Palestinian news agency WAFA. The outbreak is linked to deteriorating sanitation conditions, extreme overcrowding in displacement camps, and a collapsing healthcare system. UN teams attribute the rapid spread of the disease to the dense living conditions in refugee tents, worsening water and sewage services, poor environmental conditions, and a sharp rise in temperatures with the onset of summer.

The teams also noted an unusual increase in rodents, insects, and parasites in 83% of the displacement sites across Gaza. Thousands of tons of solid waste have accumulated alongside pools of sewage and stagnant water between tents, exacerbating health risks and raising fears of an uncontrollable epidemic due to the severely damaged healthcare infrastructure.

The Gaza Ministry of Health issued an informational leaflet on chickenpox, describing it as a highly contagious viral disease that spreads easily among children but can affect all age groups. The ministry warned that the disease could cause serious complications in individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include high fever and a skin rash that develops into blisters, typically starting on the face and chest. Transmission occurs through direct contact with an infected person or inhalation of droplets expelled during coughing.