The Mozambique Health Ministry (MISAU) has declared a public health emergency in the country after it was confirmed that a child in the northern Tete province had caught the wild Polio Virus type 1 disease (PVS1).
During the mass polio vaccination campaign that started in late March, Acute Flaccid Palsy was closely watched. This is how this case was found.
A statement from MISAU on Thursday said that it was the first case of PVS1 in the country in almost 30 years.
“We recommend that all parents and caregivers of children under five get their kids vaccinated during the next two rounds of vaccinations, which will happen soon on dates that will be announced in due time,” the document said.
MISAU has told people to keep getting immunized and to take care of their own and each other’s hygiene.
Polio is very contagious, and most people who get it are under five years old.
Polio has no cure, and the only way to avoid getting it is to get a shot.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the only places in the world where wild poliovirus is common are Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Children all over the world are still at risk of getting wild polio type 1 as long as the virus is still circulating in the last few places.
WHO says that the cases in Mozambique and Malawi do not change the fact that Africa is certified to be free of wild poliovirus because the virus strain is not from Africa.
In August 2020, all types of wild polio were gone from Africa, so it was said to be free of indigenous wild polio.
- Tags: Mozambique, Polio immunization, Polio virus
