Chickenpox surge threatens infants in Gaza's overcrowded tent camps
A deadly chickenpox outbreak is afflicting infants in Gaza's tent settlements, where heat, poor sanitation and limited medical supplies worsen the disease.
In a tent camp near Khan Younis, a 19-month-old girl named Retaj endures painful chickenpox rashes that have turned into bleeding scabs, while her 25-day-old sister Tala is also infected. Their grandmother, Asma Ahmad Abu Ghali, describes the inability to maintain basic hygiene, noting that bathing now occurs only once every one or two days with questionable water quality. Dr Ahmed Al-Farra, head of paediatrics at Nasser Hospital, cautions that the virus can cause serious complications and mortality rates may reach 30 % without treatment.
The United Nations reported more than 9,300 new infections in a fortnight, prompting the Danish Refugee Council to activate emergency measures, including water deliveries and hygiene kits. COGAT, the Israeli military agency overseeing aid, says it monitors the situation and will approve vaccine entry if requested, while asserting that water supplies exceed humanitarian thresholds. Despite these statements, families like Asma’s receive only basic relief such as calamine lotion amid a broader health crisis exacerbated by displacement and ongoing strikes.
Why it matters
The outbreak highlights how war-driven displacement and inadequate health resources can turn a common disease into a lethal threat.
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