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

Health authorities in Gaza confirmed the first case of polio in 25 years, leading to a mass vaccination campaign. The outbreak is linked to a type 2 vaccine-derived virus. Coordinated pauses in fighting have been arranged to facilitate vaccination efforts. Poor sanitation and reduced immunization rates are contributing factors.

Health authorities in the Gaza Strip have confirmed the first case of polio in 25 years, prompting an urgent mass vaccination campaign set to begin on September 1. The patient, a nearly year-old Abdul-Rahman Abu Al-Jidyan, has suffered partial paralysis as a result of the infection.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to three-day pauses in fighting within Gaza's three zones to permit the administration of vaccines to thousands of children. The type 2 vaccine-derived polio virus, found in sewage samples in Gaza, is suspected to have spread from Egypt.

A significant drop in routine immunizations and poor sanitation conditions are cited as primary reasons for the outbreak. Health care workers will mobilize to vaccinate 640,000 children under the age of 10. The World Health Organization stresses the need for a 95% coverage rate for effective containment.

(With inputs from agencies.)