First polio case in 25 years detected in Gaza, triggering urgent vaccination campaign
Baby paralyzed as type 2 polio resurfaces amid war-torn conditions
A 10-month-old baby in Gaza has been paralyzed by the type 2 polio virus, marking the first such case in the territory in 25 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Friday. This development has prompted UN agencies to call for immediate vaccinations for every baby in the region.
The type 2 virus, known as cVDPV2, is not inherently more dangerous than types 1 and 3, but it has been linked to the majority of recent outbreaks, particularly in areas with low vaccination rates.
Calls for a humanitarian pause amid conflict
In response to the outbreak, UN agencies have urged Israel and Hamas, the dominant Palestinian group in Gaza, to agree to a seven-day humanitarian pause in their ongoing conflict. This would allow health workers to carry out vaccination campaigns in the densely populated territory.
“Polio does not distinguish between Palestinian and Israeli children,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), in a post on X. He emphasized, “Delaying a humanitarian pause will increase the risk of spread among children.”
Baby in stable condition as vaccination plans take shape
The infected baby, who has lost movement in his lower left leg, is currently in stable condition, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The WHO announced that two rounds of a polio vaccination campaign are scheduled to begin in late August and September 2024 across Gaza.
The war-torn region’s compromised health services and widespread raw sewage due to a breakdown in sanitation infrastructure have heightened the vulnerability of Gaza’s population to disease outbreaks.
Challenges of vaccinating in a war zone
The polio case was first reported a week ago in the central city of Deir Al-Balah, a frequently embattled area in Gaza. On August 16, Hamas expressed support for a UN request for a seven-day pause in fighting to facilitate the vaccination of Gaza’s children against polio. Israel, which has maintained a siege on Gaza since last October and conducted extensive military operations, agreed days later to help transfer polio vaccines into Gaza for around one million children.
The Israeli military’s humanitarian unit (COGAT) is coordinating with Palestinian authorities to procure 43,000 vials of vaccine—each containing multiple doses—scheduled for delivery in Israel and subsequent transfer to Gaza in the coming weeks. These vaccines are expected to be sufficient for two rounds of doses for more than a million children.
The UN has stated that for the vaccination campaign to succeed, it will need not only access to Gaza but also safe transportation for the vaccines and refrigeration equipment. The campaign must be able to reach children in every area of the heavily damaged territory.
Poliomyelitis, a highly infectious virus primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis. Last month, traces of the poliovirus were detected in sewage in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, two areas in southern and central Gaza where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced by the conflict and are currently seeking shelter. Children under five are particularly at risk from this virus.