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New York City-Health commissioner Mary Basset has reported a presence of poliovirus in an Astoria reservoir. The city receives almost 20% of it’s drinking water from Astoria and Basset reports that this virus is known for causing health problems such as polio, paralysis, and in serious cases, death.
“For every one case of paralytic polio identified, hundreds more may be undetected,”says Basset. “These findings are not uncommon, though, as polio cases have spiked in recent years”. However, the first presence of polio in the city water was detected in Rockland County at the end of July. According to the Health Department, no such findings were detected since 1979.
Statistics show that about 2000 New York City residents have already been infected by the drinking water, even leaving a few paralyzed. Furthermore, a large percentage of these people are from communities that remain unvaccinated against the polio virus.
“Even if you don’t get a COVID vaccine, at least get vaccinated against polio”, urges Basset. “Even for senior citizens who are unvaccinated, it is never too late. Vaccination not prevents you from being ill, but those around you. Please do your part to help prevent the spread of this outbreak”.
