Polio outbreak declared in Papua New Guinea, spurring preparation for vaccination campaign

Papua New Guinea is experiencing a polio outbreak that has infected astatine slightest 2 children, according to wellness authorities who called for an contiguous vaccination campaign.

The state of astir 12 cardinal group successful Oceania launched a nationalist consequence this week aft detecting poliomyelitis, known besides arsenic polio, successful 2 patient children during regular screenings. Sewage testing confirmed nan microorganism was circulating successful Lae, its second-largest city.

Polio is simply a highly infectious illness that mostly affects young children. In terrible cases, it tin origin lifelong paralysis aliases death.

While it has mostly been stamped retired globally, polio is still endemic successful Afghanistan and Pakistan and cases are occasionally reported elsewhere successful nan world.

Papua New Guinea was declared polio-free successful 2000, but it knowledgeable an outbreak successful 2018 that paralysed 26 people.

The business now is “serious but manageable,” wellness curate Elias Kapavore said successful a statement.

“We’ve dealt pinch this earlier and cognize what works,” Kapavore added.

There is nary cure for polio, but it tin beryllium prevented pinch vaccination.

In Papua New Guinea, however, galore children stay susceptible owed to debased immunisation rates, according to Dr Veera Mendonca, UNICEF’s typical successful nan country.

The United Nations agency called for a wide vaccination effort and said it was moving pinch nan authorities to procure and administer jabs.

“While nan attraction correct now is connected stopping this outbreak, we must return this opportunity to boost regular immunisation to 90 per cent and protect children long-term,” Mendonca said successful a statement.

UNICEF is besides helping to boost nan country's illness monitoring and raise consciousness astir nan outbreak, she added.