A health official in the US state of New York said there could be hundreds or even thousands of undetected cases of polio in the state.
Doctor Patricia Schnabel Ruppert, speaking to the BBC, said she was worried about the rate of spread of polio in New York.
“Most polio cases are asymptomatic or have few symptoms,” said Ruppert, Director of Health Services for the Rockland County District.
Ruppert also confirmed that scientists in New York are investigating a link between polio cases in the state and the polio virus detected in a London sewer and seen in Jerusalem.
The American doctor said, “This is a very serious problem for the whole world. It is not just a New York issue. We need to ensure that everyone is properly vaccinated. I never thought before that there would be a new case of polio in the United States.”
Health officials in the US announced last month that there was a case of polio in the country for the first time in nine years.
The New York State Department of Health announced that a 20-year-old male patient living in Rockland, whose name was not disclosed, had a stroke due to the virus.
Polio (polio) is a serious infection transmitted by contact with the feces of a person carrying the virus or by particles shed when coughing and sneezing.
The virus mostly affects children under the age of five.
The majority of infected people do not show any symptoms, but some may experience:
- High fever
- Throat ache
- Headache
- Stomache ache
- muscle pain
- Nausea
Serious ailments such as paralysis of the legs can occur as a result of the polio virus attacking the nervous system, at rates ranging from one percent to one thousandth of those infected.
This type of paralysis is mostly temporary and the ability to move can be regained over time.
However, if the polio virus affects the muscles used for breathing, life-threatening diseases can also be seen.