Palestinian health minister fears hundreds of undetected polio cases in Gaza

Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said on Saturday that the confirmation of a single polio case in Gaza indicates the possible existence of hundreds of undetected cases.

Addressing a press conference at the Health Ministry in Ramallah, Ramadan stated: “It is scientifically known that for every 200 virus infections, only one will show the full symptoms of polio, while the remaining cases may present mild symptoms such as a cold or a slight fever.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry on Friday reported the first confirmed case of polio, involving a 10-month-old child from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, who had not received any polio vaccination.

On Friday, UN chief Antonio Guterres called for a critical “polio pause” to facilitate a vaccination campaign in Gaza.

Polio is a viral infection that can lead to paralysis, breathing difficulties, and death, primarily affecting children. It spreads through contaminated food or water. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is highly effective in preventing the disease and reducing its prevalence.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

The Israeli onslaught has since killed over 40,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 92,500 others, according to local health authorities.

Over 10 months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.