The Israeli Health Ministry reported on June 20 that West Nile virus has now spread through central Israel. They report 19 known cases with 17 hospitalizations. Three are on ventilators. Mosquitoes have been rampant in Gaza, including from the standing water from bomb craters. Apparently, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has no defense against mosquitoes crossing the border—although that won’t stop Netanyahu from blaming mosquitoes for aiding Hamas.
Yesterday, the World Health Organization’s representative for Gaza and the West Bank Richard Peeperkorn warned that the scorching heat now hitting the displaced populations in the Gaza Strip, is compounding the longstanding problems of the lack of clean water, food and medical supplies. He stated: “We’ve seen massive displacement over the last weeks and months, and we know that combination and the heat can cause a rise in diseases. We have water contamination because of hot water, and we will have much more food spoilage because of the high temperature. We will get insects, mosquitoes and flies, dehydration, heat stroke.”
