Child Paralysis Virus Surfaces Again
Explosive projectile hits wastewater treatment plant
On Monday, July 21, 2014, the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) bombarded the major wastewater treatment facility in Gaza City, causing serious damage to the facility’s infrastructure. This resulted in the discharge of 300,000 cubic meters of raw sewage into the Mediterranean Sea, as well as contaminating nearby wells.
As a result of this incident, the World Health Organization (WHO) has detected the presence of poliovirus in sewage samples collected in the Gaza Strip. The virus, which causes the crippling disease polio, has not been detected in the Gaza Strip since 2013.
Currently, the WHO is working with the Palestinian Ministry of Health to conduct further testing to confirm the source of the virus and to assess the risk of an outbreak. However, they are urging the public to take precautions, such as getting vaccinated against the disease, practicing good hygiene, and boiling water before drinking it.
The IDF has not commented on the incident, but it has been condemned by the UN and other international organizations. The UN has called for an independent investigation into the incident, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has called it a grave violation of international law.
The detection of poliovirus in the Gaza Strip is a serious concern, and it highlights the need for an immediate ceasefire to allow for repairs to the wastewater treatment facility and to prevent the spread of the virus.
Kind regards
E. Thompson
