Just In: Polio virus detected in New York City wastewater, health officials say.
The polio virus has now been detected in New York City wastewater, health officials announced Friday.
A joint release from the state and city health departments said the findings suggest"likely local circulation of the virus." "For every one case of paralytic polio identified, hundreds more may be undetected," State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said in a statement Friday."The detection of poliovirus in wastewater samples in New York City is alarming, but not surprising. Already, the State Health Department – working with local and federal partners – is responding urgently, continuing case investigation and aggressively assessing spread.
"The risk to New Yorkers is real but the defense is so simple – get vaccinated against polio," New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said in the statement."With polio circulating in our communities there is simply nothing more essential than vaccinating our children to protect them from this virus, and if you're an unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated adult, please choose now to get the vaccine.
Polio can lead to paralysis of the arms and legs, and can be fatal due to paralysis of the muscles used to breathe or swallow. Most people infected with the virus do not have symptoms, though some experience flu-like symptoms, including sore throat, fever, tiredness, nausea and stomach pain.
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