UN report: Gaza recorded 9,300 chickenpox cases in just two weeks

The Humanitarian Situation Report released last week by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the cases were reported across more than  130 health facilities. 

Over half of these cases were in Khan Younis. The surge has occurred in an environment already marked by severe overcrowding, deteriorating hygiene conditions, and widespread environmental health hazards. 

Gaza currently has more than 1,600 active displacement sites hosting approximately 1.7 million people, while Site Management Cluster (SMC) coverage remains limited to about 34 per cent.

Existing SMC alert systems continue to report inadequate access to drinking water, limited availability of soap, insufficient solid waste management, and overcrowded living conditions, the report said.

These risks are further compounded by widespread rodent and ectoparasite infestations, reported in 83 per cent of assessed displacement sites.

Sewage in streets, accumulated solid waste, stagnant water, and poor sanitation conditions were among the aggravating factors.

Health teams observed that many households lacked appropriate water storage containers and were resorting to improvised solutions, such as storing water in used flour sacks lined with plastic garbage bags, increasing the risk of water contamination and inadequate household water storage.