The authorities of Zambia have reported a polio outbreak following the detection of the virus in the wastewater of the capital, Lusaka. This was reported by the Kazinform agency, citing data from Xinhua.
Cornelius Mweetwa, the acting Minister of Health, noted that the detection of the virus was made possible by the national environmental monitoring system. Currently, there are no recorded cases of paralysis caused by polio.
The minister emphasized in parliament that the detection of the virus in wastewater indicates its presence in the population.
He also added that the virus has been registered in some neighboring countries, indicating its regional spread. In this regard, the government has developed a national program to combat polio, aimed at coordinating efforts to prevent further spread of the virus. Risk assessments and field studies are being conducted to determine the extent of the infection's spread.
Additionally, the authorities plan to collaborate with the World Health Organization to vaccinate children under five years old living in high-risk areas.
The last recorded case of wild poliovirus in Zambia was documented in 1995; however, cases of its circulation have been observed periodically, the most recent of which occurred in December 2023.
Adelya Klycheva
