A 10-month-old baby has been paralyzed by the type 2 polio virus in Gaza, marking the first reported case in the territory in 25 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on August 23. This case has sparked urgent calls for widespread vaccination efforts to prevent further outbreaks.
The type 2 variant of the poliovirus, while not more dangerous than types 1 and 3, has been the main cause of recent polio outbreaks in regions with low vaccination coverage. The WHO has urged immediate vaccination of all infants in Gaza to curb the spread of the virus.
The WHO’s appeal comes amid ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has severely impacted the region’s healthcare system. UN agencies have called for a seven-day humanitarian pause in the conflict to facilitate vaccination campaigns and prevent further spread of the virus.
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Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Polio does not distinguish between Palestinian and Israeli children,” he said in a post on X. “Delaying a humanitarian pause will increase the risk of spread among children.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that the baby, who has lost movement in his lower left leg, is currently in stable condition. To address the outbreak, the WHO has scheduled two rounds of vaccination campaigns in Gaza, starting in late August and continuing into September 2024.
Poliomyelitis, a highly infectious virus primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, can cause severe paralysis. Traces of the virus were recently detected in sewage in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, areas heavily affected by the conflict and home to many displaced Palestinians.
Children under five are particularly vulnerable to polio, underscoring the critical need for rapid and comprehensive vaccination efforts to prevent further cases and protect the health of Gaza’s youngest residents.
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