WHO: Baby paralyzed in Gaza's first case of type 2 polio for 25 years

A 10-month-old baby in Gaza has been paralyzed by the type 2 polio virus, the first such case in the territory in 25 years, the World Health Organization said on Friday, with UN agencies appealing for urgent vaccinations of every baby.

The type 2 virus (cVDPV2), while not inherently more dangerous than types 1 and 3, has been responsible, opens new tab for most outbreaks in recent years, especially in areas with low vaccination rates.

UN agencies have called for Israel and Gaza's dominant Palestinian militant group Hamas to agree to a seven-day humanitarian pause in their 10-month-old war to allow vaccination campaigns to proceed in the territory.


Reuters