The Director of Medical Relief in Gaza, Dr. Bassam Zaqout, warned of serious concerns over the possible emergence of a new epidemic in the Strip, amid a sharp deterioration in health and environmental conditions and the widespread presence of rodents among the tents of displaced people.
اضافة اعلان
Zaqout said medical authorities are monitoring alarming indicators pointing to the potential spread of leptospirosis, an infectious disease transmitted to humans through contact with the urine of rats and rodents, which have proliferated noticeably in densely populated displacement areas.
He explained that the risk of infection increases when contaminated rainwater and floodwater mix with rodent waste, particularly when such water comes into contact with open wounds on the skin.
Zaqout stressed that children are the most vulnerable group, especially those who play barefoot in contaminated water inside displacement camps.
He added that medical teams, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, have collected samples from a number of suspected cases to be sent to laboratories outside the Gaza Strip, due to the lack of local laboratory capacity following the destruction of the health infrastructure during the ongoing war.
He noted that the continued blockade, the overcrowding of hundreds of thousands of displaced people in unhealthy conditions, and the absence of preventive measures significantly increase the likelihood of disease outbreaks.
The Director of Medical Relief in Gaza emphasized that the Strip is facing a complex health crisis that requires urgent international intervention to prevent a new epidemic disaster.
What Is Leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease known since the late nineteenth century and has historically been associated with poor sanitary conditions, as well as floods, wars, and natural disasters.
The disease is caused by a type of spiral-shaped bacteria that lives in the urine of infected animals, particularly rats and rodents, which led to it being previously known by names such as “swamp fever” and “sewer disease.”
Leptospirosis is transmitted to humans through contact with water or soil contaminated with rodent urine, especially when the bacteria enter the body through cuts or cracks in the skin or via mucous membranes.
The disease is not usually transmitted from person to person, but it spreads rapidly in overcrowded displacement areas where rainwater and floodwater mix with sewage and basic preventive measures are lacking.
Symptoms
Symptoms typically begin within a period ranging from five to fourteen days and initially resemble flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle pain, general fatigue, and redness of the eyes.
In some cases, symptoms may worsen to include jaundice, liver and kidney disorders, internal bleeding, or breathing difficulties, making the disease dangerous if not diagnosed and treated early. In severe cases, it can be fatal.
Children and other vulnerable groups are considered the most at risk, particularly in environments experiencing a collapse of health infrastructure and widespread rodent infestations. This makes the disease a serious indicator of deteriorating public health conditions and calls for urgent preventive intervention before it turns into a large-scale outbreak.
Leptospirosis spreads more widely in environments suffering from poor sanitary and environmental conditions, such as areas affected by floods and heavy rainfall, sewage mixing with rainwater, the spread of rodents, and weak public hygiene systems—making displacement zones, disaster areas, and war zones especially conducive to its spread.
The disease is treated with antibiotics, and early diagnosis is essential to prevent complications. Severe cases require hospitalization and intensive care.
