UNRWA: 40,000 cases of hepatitis recorded in the Gaza Strip

GAZA: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) revealed that a total of nearly 40,000 cases of hepatitis have been recorded in the Gaza Strip since October 7. The UN agency said in a report published on its website that UNRWA health centers and shelters across Gaza record 800 to 1,000 new cases of hepatitis every week. UNRWA warned that the desperate sanitary conditions facilitate the spread of diseases including Hepatitis A. 'The Hepatitis A outbreak is spreading in Gaza during the war. Families are displaced and live in dire and inhuman conditions in overcrowded camps and shelters. They lack clean water, hygiene kits, and proper waste and sewage management. This crisis continues to make it extremely hard for the UNRWA health programme to respond to the needs of the sick.' Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA