© AFP
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday to contain a polio outbreak. She hopes that this will free up more resources to vaccinate more people.
jvhBron: BELGIAN
In July, polio was found in sewage samples in Rockland County, also in New York state. That also happened in New York City in mid-August. In the meantime, polio has also been found in the sewage in Orange and Sullivan.
New York state health officials say that too few people have been vaccinated against the disease. By declaring a state of emergency, the governor hopes that more people will be vaccinated and it is also possible that aid workers, pharmacists and midwives can administer the vaccine.
The virus may also be on the rise worldwide. Cases have already been reported in the Jerusalem region and the virus has also been found in London’s sewage water.
Polio causes paralysis, and there is no cure. The disease can only be prevented through vaccination. In Belgium it is mandatory, in many other parts of the world it is not.