New York state declares polio virus emergency


More evidence of poliovirus in sewage has put New York State on alert. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a statewide emergency on Friday. After the counties of Rockland, Orange and Sullivan as well as New York City, polioviruses have recently also been found in sewage in Nassau County. In many cases, infection with polioviruses is mild and asymptomatic, but it can also cause severe paralysis and death. Small children in particular are at risk, as they can suffer permanent damage. The New York health authority urged all residents who were insufficiently or not at all vaccinated to be immunized.

The fight against poliomyelitis, also known as poliomyelitis, is considered one of the great vaccination success stories: the infectious disease is on the brink of eradication worldwide. Europe, for example, has been officially polio-free since 1990, and the USA since 1979 Concerns about spreading in the metropolis of New York. Experts also detected the virus in London wastewater a few months ago.

With the disaster, the network of providers who are allowed to administer a polio vaccination was expanded in New York as an immediate measure – to emergency responders, midwives and pharmacists. New York’s health officer, Mary Bassett, appealed in a statement to parents to vaccinate their children quickly: “If your child is not vaccinated or the vaccination status is not up to date, then the risk of a debilitating disease is real.”

The highly contagious virus is often spread through contaminated water. So far there is no cure for polio. A vaccine, the so-called oral vaccination, is based on reproducible polioviruses. This live vaccine contains weakened pathogens that can still reproduce and even infect other people. Those who have been vaccinated shed the virus for about two to six weeks. It usually dies after just one or two infections. But not always. In some cases, the viruses become more infectious again and can spread uncontrollably. Comprehensive immunity among the population is therefore important. (dpa/kmh)



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