GENEVA, Nov 5 (Kuna) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that 105,000 children under the age of ten have been immunized against polio in the northern Gaza Strip over the past two days, making up 88 percent of the target group in the latest immunization campaign.
Speaking remotely from Gaza at a press briefing in Geneva the WHO representative Richard Peeperkorn said that attacks on vaccination sites and difficulties in accessing affected areas had affected the campaign's progress.
Peppercorn noted that the intense strikes in northern Gaza which have forced more than 150,000 people to flee to Gaza City further complicated vaccination efforts.
Peeperkorn also added that the number of patients and casualties medically evacuated had not exceeded 282 out of an estimated total of 12,000 to 14,000 people in need since the closure of the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza last May.
He added that an evacuation is scheduled for Wednesday in which 113 people will be transferred through the (Kerem Shalom crossing) marking the largest such operation since the closure of Rafah in May. (end) imk.mt