‘Alarming’ surge in meningitis cases among Gaza’s children
The Health Ministry in Gaza has issued an urgent alert over a sharp rise in meningitis cases, particularly affecting children under the age of five, as the territory’s health infrastructure faces complete collapse.
“The Ministry of Health has recorded a significant increase in the number of suspected and confirmed cases of meningitis,” it stated, attributing the crisis to “unprecedented health, humanitarian, and environmental deterioration.”
The ministry warned that the disease is spreading rapidly due to the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system by Israeli occupation forces and the mass displacement of its population.
“The catastrophic conditions in shelters, the severe shortage of drinking water, the spread of sewage, and the accumulation of waste are driving the health situation to further deterioration,” it added.
Meningitis is an infection and swelling, called inflammation, of the fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord. These membranes are called meninges. The inflammation from meningitis most often triggers symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck.
