WHO Warns of High Polio Risk in Gaza

The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is a high risk of polio spreading across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and beyond.

Ayadil Saparbekov, World Health Organization saying: ''This is not only because of the detection, but because of the very dire situation with water sanitation. As you may be aware, this virus is spread through a fecal-oral way of transmission. In addition to that, as I said, the functionality of the health facilities, especially primary healthcare services that provide vaccination and other maternal and child health services to the population in Gaza, is critical, and is basically not functioning as it used to function before.”

Also it may spill over internationally at a very high point. So we would, together with the partners, need to work around the clock to make sure that the epidemiological investigation is complete, and the risk assessment is complete.

Poliomyelitis, which is spread mainly through the fecal-oral route, is a highly infectious virus that can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis. It mainly affects children under the age of 5.

Israeli army vehicles started to pull out of the town of Tulkarm in the West Bank after raiding it, while Palestinians went out to the streets to assess the damages and to bid farewell to their loved ones killed in the raid.

Several of the town's roads were upturned and underground water pipes were damaged, leaving huge puddles of water in the roads, and no services were available for those neighborhoods for the time being.

The Israeli raids ended with seven Palestinians killed, including two militant commanders, one from the Islamist group Hamas and one a member of rival faction Fatah, and a woman, according to Palestinian and Israeli officials.

An Israeli military spokesperson said an airstrike hit armed militants operating in the area and that exchanges of fire were ongoing.