Winter diseases associated with overcrowding and indoor air pollution include acute respiratory infections, to which young children are particularly vulnerable. Other diseases include influenza, measles, tuberculosis and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. Limited water and sanitation facilities are likely to lead to increasing rates of skin diseases such as lice and scabies.
“The people trapped in Rukban are living in deplorable conditions, exposed to harsh winter weather that shows no sign of abating,” said Elizabeth Hoff, WHO Representative in Syria. “It is imperative that we are able to reach them as soon as possible with heath assistance, so that no more lives are lost unnecessarily.”
