"As deaths and injuries in Gaza continue to rise due to intensified hostilities, intense overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems pose an added danger: the rapid spread of infectious diseases," WHO said. "Some worrying trends are already emerging." It said that the lack of fuel in the densely populated enclave had caused desalination plants to shut down, which increased the risk of bacterial infections like diarrhoea spreading. WHO said that more than 33,551 cases of diarrhoea had been reported since mid-October, the bulk of which among children under five. "Disrupted routine vaccination activities, as well as lack of medicines for treating communicable diseases, further increase the risk of accelerated disease spread," it warned.

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Persons: Hassan Zain al Din, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Aurora Ellis Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Israel, Deir ., GENEVA, Gaza