• Polio viruses were found in wastewater from eight London districts, but no human cases.
• Vaccination will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis, UK’s Health Security Agency says.
• An agency working with the US, Israeli and WHO to examine polio virus linkages.

British health authorities will administer a polio booster vaccine to children aged 1 to 9 in London after finding evidence the virus has spread in numerous districts of the capital, despite no confirmed human cases.

The British Health Security Agency said in a statement on Wednesday that it had found polioviruses from the oral polio vaccine in sewage water from eight boroughs of London, but that it had not found any cases.

The NHS is offering children aged 1 to 9 in London a polio vaccine. This will either be a booster on top of your child’s routine immunisations or a catch up dose.

The NHS will contact you to book an appointment.https://t.co/zaMAP5BOZ2 pic.twitter.com/ReM0SPItWH

— NHS London (@NHSEnglandLDN) August 10, 2022

Analysis of viral samples showed that “transmission has gone beyond a few people,” but nobody got sick.

Only one in every 200 polio infections causes paralysis, and most people have no symptoms.

“This will ensure a high level of protection from paralysis and help reduce further spread,”  the agency claimed. Most British children are polio-vaccinated. It said population risk was low.

The agency said it was working with the US and Israeli health officials and WHO to examine polio virus linkages.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the U.K. Health Security Agency, said the “We know the areas in London where the poliovirus is being transmitted have some of the lowest vaccination rates.”

“This is why the virus is spreading in these communities and puts those residents not fully vaccinated at greater risk.”

Polio is a waterborne disease that affects young children. Outbreaks remain in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and areas of Africa.

Fever, tiredness, headache, vomiting, and muscle stiffness are symptoms.

Paralyzed respiratory muscles can kill 10% of paralysed patients.

In rare situations, the live virus in the oral polio vaccination meant to eradicate the disease can mutate and cause fresh outbreaks.

In London, injectable polio vaccines won’t pose a risk.

Polio is a US concern. Last week, health officials in New York state found new cases of the virus in wastewater samples from two counties. This caused them to warn that hundreds of people could be sick.

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