GAZA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian medical official on Tuesday warned of the spread of leptospirosis among displaced people living in tents across the Gaza Strip.
Bassam Zaqout, director of medical relief in Gaza, said in a press statement that the disease is transmitted when floodwater contaminated with rodent droppings comes into contact with open wounds, particularly among children who play barefoot in standing water.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection commonly spread through water contaminated with animal urine. People become infected through direct contact with the urine of infected animals or with environments contaminated by such urine.
Zaqout said samples from suspected cases have been sent through the World Health Organization for testing outside Gaza, as local laboratories lack the capacity to conduct the tests.
Research released in September by a Palestinian-Moroccan team said conflict-driven destruction in Gaza has led to the collapse of water and sanitation systems, fueling infestations of rodents and insects and increasing public health risks among displaced populations.
Zaqout added that tents are no longer able to protect displaced people from strong winds and rain, noting that many tents and medical points have collapsed in recent days. He said shortages of fuel and protective equipment are hampering medical teams' ability to provide relief amid a surge in diarrhea and respiratory infections.
Separately, Gaza health authorities warned that cancer patients in the enclave are facing a "slow death sentence," calling the situation an unprecedented humanitarian and health catastrophe with irreversible consequences.
In a statement, the authorities said severe shortages of cancer medications, the lack of diagnostic services, and the continued closure of border crossings preventing patients from traveling abroad for treatment "complete a triangle of death that threatens their lives at any moment."
They said allowing cancer patients to leave Gaza for treatment abroad is the only way to save their lives.
According to the authorities, shortages have reached 52 percent for essential medicines, 71 percent for medical supplies, and 59 percent for laboratory tests and blood bank supplies. The statement said 650 kidney dialysis patients, 1,000 cancer patients, and about 288,000 people in need of primary health care are at risk of serious health complications.
