Ahmad Najjar, Anera’s Medical Donations Programme Officer in Gaza, told the Telegraph that dermatological diseases resulting from overcrowding are spreading like wildfire.
“It is related directly to the absence of hygienic tools, mainly water and the very limited numbers of bathrooms,” he told the Telegraph.
“I noticed many water-borne diseases like parasitic infections, some kidney stones, and inflammation due to drinking salty water due to the huge absence of drinking water.”
Mr Najjar added that he expects to see cholera cases in the near future because of unclean water and untreated sewage.
He said that many pregnant women have lost their babies due to the dire conditions.
“I have seen malnutrition for pregnant women, mothers, and their babies due to limited access to all food items,” he said.
The situation is likely to spiral as winter looms, Mr Najjir explained, with humanitarian workers bracing for a spike in respiratory infections as people shelter in canvas tents inadequate for colder conditions.
Since November 10, 10,224 people have been diagnosed with an acute respiratory infection, while scabies and lice have reportedly affected 10,952 individuals, according to figures from Airfinity, a global health monitorer.
A further 8,202 people have been diagnosed with diarrhoea, with 51 per cent of these under the age of five.
“Severe diarrhoea, especially without access to antibiotics, is often lethal for young children,” said Professor Balloux, who was a member at the MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling within the Department of Infectious disease epidemiology at Imperial College London.
“What is likely to occur very soon is outbreaks of typhoid or cholera. That could affect the whole population. If the situation does not improve soon, there will be a cycle of infections.”
