UN Warns of Sharp Increase in Measles Cases in Gaza Refugee Camp

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) in its latest Humanitarian Situation Report issued by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), warned of a sharp increase in measles cases throughout the Gaza Strip, Palestine, reporting nearly 9,300 cases recorded in more than 130 health facilities in just two weeks, about half of them in Khan Younis.

The report said, "Partners attribute this spike to deteriorating environmental conditions, population density, sanitation and hygiene gaps, and the summer."

The report added, "The reported increase in measles cases occurs in refugee environments that are already characterized by severe overcrowding, deteriorating hygiene conditions, and widespread environmental health hazards."

"These risks are exacerbated by widespread rodent and ectoparasite infestations, which were reported in 83 percent of the refugee locations assessed, along with street waste, solid waste accumulation, waterlogging, and poor sanitation conditions," the report said.