“Up to 14,000 people may” already need medical evacuation out of Gaza, according to Dr Ayadil Saparbekov, a WHO team leader.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, July 23, that it is “very worried” in the face of possible outbreaks in the Gaza Strip, particularly after isolating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 from sewage samples. Polio is a highly contagious disease caused by this virus, which invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours.
“I am very concerned. I am extremely concerned (…) and it is not just about polio. There could be other outbreaks of communicable diseases that could occur,” said Dr Ayadil Saparbekov, WHO team leader for health emergencies in the Palestinian territories, via videoconference.
“Hepatitis A was confirmed last year and now we could have polio,” while there is already “up to 14,000 people who could” need medical evacuation out of Gaza, he said, speaking at a regular news briefing by humanitarian agencies.
