Chickenpox emerges as growing public health threat in Gaza

Nearly 9,300 chickenpox reported over the past two weeks, more than half of them in Khan Younis.

GAZA CITY: The United Nations has warned of a sharp increase in chickenpox cases among displaced Palestinian children in Gaza, with nearly 9,300 infections reported over the past two weeks, more than half of them in Khan Younis.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), overcrowded displacement camps, accumulating waste, limited access to clean water, and the collapse of sewage systems are fueling the spread of infectious diseases. The agency said chickenpox has become a growing public health concern in the territory.

The report noted that respiratory and skin diseases remain the most commonly reported health conditions in Gaza, while waterborne illnesses are also on the rise, particularly in the Khan Younis area.

The UN said more than 18,000 new cases of skin-related illnesses, including chickenpox, external parasitic skin infections, and impetigo, were recorded during the past week alone.

The agency added that Gaza’s healthcare system has been severely weakened by the ongoing conflict, with hospitals and medical infrastructure damaged and critical shortages of medicines, fuel, and medical supplies continuing to hamper healthcare services.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 73,250 Palestinians have been killed and 173,751 injured since the start of the war.

The ministry also said that nearly 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure has been damaged or completely destroyed, worsening humanitarian and public health conditions across the enclave.