Highlights
Epidemiological weeks 50-53 of 2009
N. of Reporting Units 17/17
Population under surveillance 869 375
− The number of people under surveillance for this reporting period is 869 375 out of 1 073 303 (81%) Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA in the Gaza Strip. This number corresponds to beneficiaries accessing UNRWA health services in 2008;
− The reporting completeness for epiweeks 50-53 of 2009 was 100%;
− The number of consultations in the period 50-53 weeks followed the usual trend except in epiweeks 52 and 53 when a small decrease was recorded due to Christmas and New Year holidays.
− Watery diarrhoea as well as acute bloody diarrhoea and viral hepatitis remain the major causes of morbidity among reportable infectious diseases in the refugee population of the Gaza Strip. During weeks fiftyfifty three, the morbidity trend of acute bloody diarrhoea showed a decreasing trend, Watery diarrhoeas in the <3 years, watery diarrhoeas in the >3 years showed a fluctuating pattern. Acute hepatitis manifested a decreasing trend in weeks 50-51 then a stationary course in weeks 51-52 followed by slight increase in week 53. Typhoid fever showed a decreasing trend in weeks 50-51 then stationary trend at zero in weeks 51-53.
− Alert/alarm thresholds were not breached for any of the major diseases in the reporting period.