- Mar 19, 2022
- 1,423
- 861
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
Polio is found in the U.K. for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Polio is found in the U.K. for the first time in nearly 40 years. Here's what it means
Is there about to be a polio virus outbreak in the UK?
So it turns out, 2022 really does seem to be the year for infectious diseases: with Covid-19 cases rising again, a reported outbreak of monkeypox and now, traces of the polio virus have been discovered in London. But is the new detected polio anything to worry about? And will wearing a face mask help protect you from polio?
Traces of polio were picked up following a routine inspection at the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works, leading the UK Health Security Agency to declare a national incident. According to the NHS, it is easily spread through coughs or sneezes, and can be caught from food, water or being in contact with the poo of a person with the virus.
It's believed the traces of multiple closely-related polio viruses were found in the faecal samples between February and May, and currently it's thought that the spread is between individuals who are close to one another (e.g. family members) and that those people are now 'flushing out' the virus through their faeces.
Polio is found in the U.K. for the first time in nearly 40 years. Here's what it means
Is there about to be a polio virus outbreak in the UK?
So it turns out, 2022 really does seem to be the year for infectious diseases: with Covid-19 cases rising again, a reported outbreak of monkeypox and now, traces of the polio virus have been discovered in London. But is the new detected polio anything to worry about? And will wearing a face mask help protect you from polio?
Traces of polio were picked up following a routine inspection at the Beckton Sewage Treatment Works, leading the UK Health Security Agency to declare a national incident. According to the NHS, it is easily spread through coughs or sneezes, and can be caught from food, water or being in contact with the poo of a person with the virus.
It's believed the traces of multiple closely-related polio viruses were found in the faecal samples between February and May, and currently it's thought that the spread is between individuals who are close to one another (e.g. family members) and that those people are now 'flushing out' the virus through their faeces.