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Polio Was Found in New York State Wastewater Weeks Before Confirmed Case

ALARMING

The virus was detected in Rockland County in early June.

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AFP via Getty

Polio was present in a New York City suburb weeks before authorities there confirmed the first case of the virus in the U.S. in nearly a decade, health officials say. The virus was detected in wastewater in Rockland County in early June, before officials announced on June 21 that an adult male had been diagnosed with the virus, according to the New York State Department of Health. Health officials said there has still only been one confirmed case, and it was not clear if the virus was actively spreading in the state. There is no cure for polio, which can result in paralysis or death, though there is a widely available vaccine. “Given how quickly polio can spread, now is the time for every adult, parent, and guardian to get themselves and their children vaccinated as soon as possible,” New York State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a statement Monday.

Read it at New York State Department of Health

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