Authorities in America’s largest city urge vaccinations after traces of virus were found in sewage system
New York City and state health officials on Friday urged residents who have not been vaccinated against polio to do so, after the polio virus was detected in sewage samples. largest city in the United States. The discovery comes just weeks after a case was confirmed in a nearby county.
Findings show “Likely local circulation of the virus.” Wastewater samples from Rockland and Orange counties north of New York City also showed the presence of polio last month, followed by the discovery of the first domestic polio infection in the US since since 1979.
State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett called the discovery “Alarming, but not surprising,” and added that the state department of health is “Response urgently, continue to investigate the incident and actively assess the spread” cooperation with local and federal partners.
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan urged people to get vaccinated. Health authorities say the vaccination rate among children under two years of age in New York State is 79%.
“Poliosis is completely preventable and its reappearance should be a call to action for all of us.” Vasan said. Vaccine clinics will spring up to provide inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to the people.
Wastewater samples from Orange and Rockland are “Genetic Link”“Give confirmed The polio case in Rockland, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said after running sequencing analysis. The man developed symptoms including weakness and muscle paralysis.
IPV was widely available in 1955 and the United States officially declared the disease eliminated in 1979. All subsequent infections were found in foreign carriers of the virus.
The 20-year-old patient was not vaccinated against polio, but the virus strain was determined to be derived from a live vaccine. Authorities suspect the man had been in contact with someone from a country where live vaccines are still in use, who had “Molting” weakened virus. British authorities blamed the phenomenon for its discovery polio in London wastewater samples in June.
Two out of three strains “wild” Polio has been eradicated in most of the world thanks to an active vaccination campaign. The last remaining strain is still endemic to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Myelitis is a life-threatening disease. In the worst case scenario, it can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing meningitis, paralysis, and death.
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