First Polio Case in Gaza in 25 Years Sparks Mass Vaccination Campaign

Health authorities in Gaza confirmed the first polio case in 25 years, prompting a mass vaccination campaign for children starting Sept. 1. Zones of Gaza will see temporary ceasefires for vaccinations. The case, a vaccine-derived strain, was initially detected in sewage samples, raising concerns over sanitation and vaccination rates.

Health authorities in the Gaza Strip have confirmed the first case of polio in 25 years, driving a swift response to launch a mass vaccination campaign for children starting on September 1. The infection of nearly one-year-old Abdul-Rahman Abu Al-Jidyan, who has suffered from partial paralysis, has accelerated vaccination plans across the Palestinian enclave.

To facilitate the vaccinations, Israel and Hamas have agreed to three-day pauses in fighting across Gaza's three zones, allowing thousands of U.N. workers to administer the vaccines. Reports indicate the same strain that infected the Palestinian child, a type 2 vaccine-derived polio virus, has been detected in wastewater in developed countries. Genetic analysis links the strain to a variant found in Egypt, potentially introduced to Gaza in September 2023.

The decline in routine vaccinations in Gaza and the broader Occupied Palestinian Territories has contributed to the resurgence of polio. Vaccination coverage fell from 99% in 2022 to 89% in 2023, exacerbated by the shutdown of hospitals due to Israeli strikes or fuel restrictions. Aid workers also cite poor sanitation, with open sewers and trash piles, as factors in the virus's spread. The campaign aims to reach 640,000 children with vaccines administered by 2,700 health workers through both medical centers and mobile units among displaced populations.

(With inputs from agencies.)