21/07/2022
New York City residents who are currently unvaccinated for polio are being encouraged to get vaccinated right away.
New York state is now dealing with a rare case of polio.
State health officials say a person in Rockland County, just northwest of New York City, tested positive for the disease.
Now, health officials at both the county level and the state level are asking doctors and nurses to keep their eyes out for more possible cases.
Polio is known to be highly contagious, but what exactly can the virus do to you? It can weaken your muscles or even paralyze you. In rare cases, it can also kill you.
"Polio is a viral disease which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis," according to the New York State Department of Health's website. "The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person. Polio is more common in infants and young children and occurs under conditions of poor hygiene. Paralysis is more common and more severe when infection occurs in older individuals."
Many Americans are vaccinated against polio. However, health officials are encouraging anyone who hasn't received the polio vaccine to get one.
The last known case of polio in the United States was nearly a decade ago -- in 2013.
