On July 21, authorities in the US state of New York announced the first incidence of Polio in the nation in almost ten years. The paralysed person was an adult from Rockland County who was illiterate.

Experts claim that the patient had a particular strain of the Virus that was acquired from a fake vaccine. According to experts, it may have been spread quickly by someone who had received a live vaccine, which is available in other countries but not in the US.

Soon after the Polio Virus was found in samples from the suburbs of Orange and Rockland counties, Big Apple health officials announced weeks later that it had been found in the city's sewer system.

Despite the fact that the majority of Americans have had polio vaccinations, the federal government advises anyone who hasn't to go to their local health centre.

What is POLIO or POLIOMYELITIS?

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the USA, for its English abbreviation), polio is a crippling and potentially fatal disease brought on by the poliovirus. The virus can infect the spinal cord and spread from person to person, paralysing some areas of the body.

It is well known that this virus has existed for a very long period. According to some researchers, the earliest instance of this condition was discovered in an ancient Egyptian artwork depicting a guy with dry feet who was unable to hold the weight of his body without the aid of a cane.

According to the CDC, the majority of the muscle fibres have been permanently replaced by fibrous tissue.

According to scientists, if a person had polio as a kid or adolescent but was still able to maintain or regain partial or full mobility in a weak arm or leg, it is likely that they will mature with less mobility. the scientists predict.

What are it's symptoms?

If a person has the polio virus, they might not exhibit any symptoms, according to the CDC. About 72 out of 100 persons experience this; however, 25 out of 100 people may also experience flu-like symptoms.

Some of the poliomyelitis symptoms that repeat frequently are:

• Throat pain

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Nausea

• Headache

• Abdominal pain 

These signs and symptoms may appear for two to five days before disappearing.

A small percentage of patients may experience more severe symptoms that directly impact the brain or spinal cord, according to the same agency. They represent one out of every 100 persons, and even one to five out of every 1,000, according to statistics:

Paresthesia: legs experience a tingling sensation.

Meningitis: The spinal cord or brain's lining being infected.

Paralysis: Incapable of moving body parts.

How is it spread?

As it dwells in the throat and intestines of an infected individual, the polio virus is extremely contagious and spreads through person-to-person contact. The virus spreads through a variety of channels after entering the body through the mouth, according to experts:

• Droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze.

• Coming in contact with the feces of an infected person.

In addition, the CDC noted that a person can become infected if:

• Have small pieces of stool from an infected person on your hands and touch your mouth.

• Putting objects in your mouth, such as toys, that have been contaminated with the feces of an infected person.

What is the treatment?

There are two vaccines available to prevent polio:

• Depending on the patient's age, the poliovirus vaccine (IPV) is injected into either the leg or the arm.

• There are still many regions of the world that use the oral poliovirus vaccination (OPV).

For detailed advice, speak with a medical professional who specialises in this field.