GAZA STRIP – A highly contagious skin disease is rapidly spreading across parts of the Gaza Strip, causing alarm among health professionals and residents. Ola Ziadeh, 28, revealed the extent of the outbreak by lifting her two-year-old son Adam’s shirt to expose painful red bumps and scabs covering his stomach and chest. Adam screamed in pain at the movement, his skin swollen and marked by dried blood.
Adam’s condition began with a seemingly harmless pimple on his nose. However, the blisters soon spread to his neck and chest, eventually infecting his three-year-old sister, Handa. Desperate for help, Ziadeh took her children to Nasser Hospital, where doctors prescribed an IV drip to combat the infection.
“We’re seeing a high prevalence of skin lesions and infections, specifically bullous impetigo,” said Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, director of pediatrics at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. Speaking to CBC freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife, he attributed the outbreak to poor hygiene, lack of washing materials, disinfectants, soap, clean water, and proper sanitation.
Social media in Gaza has been flooded with reports of the suspicious skin rash. Health professionals link the spread to the dire lack of hygiene products and sanitation. Dr. Al-Farra warned of serious complications if the condition is not properly treated, including renal failure. “This skin infection is very dangerous,” he emphasized.
Over 65,000 Cases of Skin Rashes
As of June 30, the World Health Organization reported over 65,000 cases of skin rashes in Gaza, along with more than 100,000 cases of scabies and lice. Impetigo, primarily affecting children and infants, begins with a blister and can spread rapidly across the body. The reddish sores, typically found around the nose, mouth, arms, and legs, eventually burst and crust over. Antibiotics are the usual treatment.
Nasser Hospital is struggling to meet the overwhelming patient demand, a situation exacerbated by a February siege by Israeli troops. An Israeli spokesperson at the time described the raid as “precise and limited,” targeting Hamas members allegedly hiding in the hospital. Hamas dismissed these claims as “lies.” The raid displaced around 2,000 people to Rafah and Deir al-Balah.
Medical Crisis in Gaza
Since the raid, Nasser Hospital has been inundated with patients and faces a critical shortage of supplies. With over 500 patients under its care, including those suffering from severe burns, trauma, and pregnant women, the hospital is nearing its breaking point. “The hospitals are crowded, and patients are lying on the ground. It’s a very difficult situation,” said Dr. Al-Farra.
Canadian aid workers at Nasser report that the hospital is struggling to meet the increasing demand. The situation has worsened since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed over 1,200 and led to more than 200 hostages being taken into Gaza. Israel’s subsequent ground and air incursion has resulted in 39,000 deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Sanitation Crisis
Nearby in the hospital, Rawan Abu Odeh, 30, tended to her four-year-old daughter Sahar, who was also afflicted by the skin infection. Sahar’s face was covered in scabs, and her eyes reflected deep sadness. Despite being given cream and antibiotics, the infection spread to her neck and chest.
Odeh, displaced multiple times during the war, explained the challenges of maintaining cleanliness amid constant movement and poor living conditions. “I find bugs in her hair and try to clean her every day, but it’s for nothing. There’s no cleanliness, no care, no soap, no shampoo. Everything is contaminated,” she lamented.
In his office, Dr. Al-Farrah called for the Rafah border crossing to be opened and for an end to the war. “We need to permit the entry of materials for hospitals and medical supplies. There are many essential items we don’t have in Gaza,” he urged.
As Gaza grapples with this growing health crisis, the need for improved sanitation and medical supplies remains critical to prevent further spread of the disease and to provide adequate care for those affected.
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