GAZA, (PIC)
Healthcare specialists in the Gaza Strip have warned of a growing outbreak of chickenpox among displaced children, unfolding against the backdrop of a devastated humanitarian reality shaped by a genocidal war that Israeli occupation authorities threaten to resume. The crisis is compounded by extreme overcrowding in displacement shelters and the near-total collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.
The spread of the disease comes as the territory’s public health environment deteriorates sharply. Mass displacement, failing sanitation systems, and severe shortages of clean water have created ideal conditions for infectious diseases to flourish. Chickenpox is now spreading widely among families, according to a report published by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Infections inside displacement tents
A displaced woman, Nermine Mohammed, who lives with her family in the Al-Attar area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, described how the virus swept through her household. Her husband, Saed, first developed flu-like symptoms that soon evolved into a skin rash. The infection then passed to their eight-year-old son Abdullah and eventually spread to three more of their children.
Nermine explained that her attempts to isolate the sick inside their displacement tent using improvised methods failed to stop transmission. One of her daughters lost consciousness due to complications, while her husband’s condition worsened when lesions reached the area around his eye.
She stressed that infections have become widespread across the camp, fueled by weak adherence to preventive measures, limited health awareness, and constant mixing among displaced families living in conditions devoid of even basic hygiene.
In Gaza City, Sobhiya Al-Jamal recounted the ordeal of her four-year-old son Adam, who was transferred to Al-Rantisi Hospital after developing a dangerously high fever. Doctors later diagnosed him with pneumonia followed by chickenpox. His case has raised particular alarm because he was born with a heart condition and previously underwent open-heart surgery, leaving him especially vulnerable to severe complications.
Rapid transmission in overcrowded conditions
In another testimony, Taghreed Abu Al-Aoun said the infection spread sequentially among her three children after her six-year-old son Yahya fell ill. Despite attempts at isolation inside their tent, the virus soon reached his sisters Aya, 11, and Nour, 4.
Symptoms included high fever, headaches, joint pain, and widespread skin rashes. Severe itching prevented the children from sleeping, prolonging their suffering amid limited access to treatment.
Five-year-old Ahmad Abu Samra experienced a similar ordeal after contracting the virus from his brother. According to his mother, the illness began with a sharp rise in temperature before fluid-filled blisters spread across his body.
Dr. Sharif Matar, a pediatric consultant at Al-Rantisi Hospital, explained that chickenpox is a highly contagious viral disease. It typically begins with fever and fatigue before developing into fluid-filled skin blisters that often start on the torso and spread throughout the body.
While the illness is usually mild, Matar warned that it can cause serious complications among vulnerable groups, particularly children suffering from chronic diseases or weakened immune systems. Secondary bacterial infections and rare neurological complications may occur in severe cases.
He added that infected individuals remain contagious throughout the rash phase, which can last up to two weeks. Overcrowding, poor hygiene, and constant physical contact among children, conditions prevalent in displacement centers, are accelerating the spread of the virus.
Medical warnings and escalating risks
Safaa Al-Kahlout, from the hospital’s infection control department, said infectious diseases have surged across Gaza in the aftermath of the war. Hospitals are now recording between 20 and 25 suspected cases daily, with roughly five patients requiring hospitalization.
She emphasized that the virus spreads easily through airborne transmission or direct contact, making closed and crowded environments particularly dangerous. Preventive measures such as handwashing, using separate personal items, and minimizing physical contact remain essential but increasingly difficult to enforce.
Abdel Raouf Al-Manaama, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Islamic University, warned that the outbreak risks expanding further. Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which can later reactivate as shingles.
He noted that children under five, malnutrition, and weakened immunity represent the most significant risk factors. Vaccination remains the most effective form of prevention, alongside isolation and reduced contact.
Yet, experts acknowledge that such measures are nearly impossible to implement under Gaza’s current reality. Thousands of families remain confined to overcrowded tents amid severe shortages of clean water and medical services, turning disease control into an escalating challenge that increasingly threatens civilian lives, especially those of children.