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A severe outbreak of varicella (chickenpox) is devastating children in Gaza, with the United Nations reporting 9,300 cases in just the last two weeks of June. The surge is concentrated in overcrowded displacement camps where hygiene is near impossible, and antiviral treatments are virtually unavailable.
In the Deir al Balah camp, mothers like Yasmín al Daalís describe watching their children suffer without relief. Her daughter Sundus, born just before the war in October 2023, contracted varicella on top of a pre-existing skin condition. "Los antibióticos no sirven de nada. La niña sigue igual," she told EFE Source: La Vanguardia. Despite having varicella, children in Gaza report contracting the disease multiple times, with three distinct variants now circulating: viral, bacterial, and aqueous.
Dr. Házem Musleh, a pediatrician at Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, says he sees "decenas, incluso cientos de casos" daily Source: Infobae. The OCHA attributes the outbreak to "deterioro de las condiciones ambientales, el hacinamiento y las deficiencias de saneamiento e higiene" Source: La Vanguardia. Without antiviral drugs, families rely on antibiotic creams that offer no cure, leaving children to endure painful symptoms for weeks.
“casi 9.300 notificados en solo dos semanas en más de 130 centros sanitarios, más de la mitad en Jan Yunis”
“La OCHA atribuyó el repunte al deterioro de las condiciones ambientales, el hacinamiento y las deficiencias de saneamiento e higiene”
“Los antibióticos no sirven de nada. La niña sigue igual. No veo que mejore ni un 1%, sino todo lo contrario: su estado sigue empeorando.”
“Cada día recibimos decenas, incluso cientos de casos en el hospital a causa de esta enfermedad.”