The Ministry of Health has issued recommendations and warnings due to the risk of the polio virus causing poliomyelitis, an infectious and moral disease that affects children.

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Once detected the first polio case in the United States On July 21, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) declared an epidemiological alert to prevent imports from the poliovirus.

The Health Portfolio explained in a statement that since June the World Health Organization has been warning of the risks emanating from the type 2 vaccine in the United States. For this reason, the MSPAS has taken precautionary measures because of the suspicion of several cases being monitored for the possibility of Acute Flaccid Paralysis. So far they discarded 23 of 38 casesthe rest await results.

Very contagious and deadly

“Poliomyelitis is an infectious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis in a matter of hours,” explains MSPAS and explains that the virus is passed from person to personmainly by the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by public means, such as contaminated water or food, and multiply in the intestines.

This also indicates that the initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiff neck, and pain in limbs. One in 200 infections causes irreversible paralysis (usually of the legs) and 5% to 10% of these cases died of muscle paralysis respiration. In some cases this disease can lead to death.

The polio vaccine is given through a dropper to babies. (Photo: Vox)

The most vulnerable populations are children under 5 years Therefore, parents are invited to bring their children to be vaccinated. The vaccine is given via drops placed in the mouth, i.e., no injection with a syringe is required in the case of infants.

According to the Health breakdown, this scheme consists of three doses and two reinforcements given to 2, 4 and 6 months of life and reinforcement for 18 months to 4 years. In addition, it is recommended to proceed with the following steps:

• Boil or chlorinate water before consuming it or using it for food preparation
• Wash hands before and after preparing food
• Wash your hands with soap and water after changing diapers.
• Before the appearance of any symptoms go to the nearest health service.

The virus has also raised alarm in the UK as the presence of the poliovirus has been detected in the sewage system in London, according to media reports. europapress.