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Poliovirus Outbreak Reaches Nassau County - NY State Disaster Emergency Declared

September 9, 2022 • 1:11 pm CDT
(Precision Vaccinations News)

Following the identification of polio among a Rockland County, New York, resident, the N.Y. State Department of Health (NYSDOH) launched wastewater surveillance in July 2022. This process includes samples from throughout the State.

As of September 9, 2022, NYSDOH reported sequencing analysis by the U.S. CDC confirmed the presence of poliovirus in a total of 57 positive samples of concern.

With evidence of circulating poliovirus, N.Y. Governor Kathy Hochul today issued an Executive Order declaring a State Disaster Emergency, which increases the availability of resources to protect New Yorkers against paralytic disease.

Of the 57 positive samples of concern, 50 are genetically linked to the individual case of paralytic polio in Rockland County.

Of those 50 samples, 31 were collected in Rockland County, 13 in Orange County, 6 in Sullivan County, and 1 sample was collected in Nassau County during August 2022.

At the 2020 U.S. census, Nassau County's population is 1,395,774. 

Furthermore, NYSDOH says these findings provide evidence that the unvaccinated Rockland County resident with paralytic polio contracted the virus through local transmission.

Furthermore, this finding does not indicate that the individual in Rockland County was the source of the poliovirus transmission.

This finding raises concerns about the potential for community spread of poliovirus that can cause paralysis in these New York Counties.

This underscores the urgency of every adult and child, particularly those in the greater New York metropolitan area, getting immunized and staying up to date with their polio immunization schedule.

In the USA, there are several polio vaccine options available at most clinics and pharmacies.

"On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice," N.Y. State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett commented in a press release, "If you or your child are unvaccinated or not up to date with vaccinations, the risk of paralytic disease is real."

The NYSDOH stated the investigation into the origin of the poliovirus is ongoing.

Additional polio outbreak news is posted at PrecisionVaccinations.com/Polio.

Our Trust Standards: Medical Advisory Committee

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