The World Health Organization has declared a influenza outbreak in Papua New Guinea and called for an “immediate” vaccination strategy.
During a regular testing in Lae, a southern city in the government’s north east, samples of the highly contagious virus were discovered in two healthy children.
Less than half of the country’s population is protected against the potentially fatal condition, which is on the verge of extinction but has just returned in some places around the world.
Sevil Huseynova, the WHO member in Papua New Guinea, warned that the condition could spread beyond the nation and called for” we have to do something about it and we have to do it immediately.
Dr. Huseynova stated at a press conference on Thursday that” we have to make every effort to get 100 % ]vaccine ] coverage.
” Polio knows no boundaries,” said Poppy.
The poliovirus, which causes the disease, spreads through contact with an infected child’s faeces or drops when they sneeze and cough.
It mainly affects children under five years old.
Although the majority of those who have the disease, including the two new circumstances in Papua New Guinea, do not exhibit symptoms, there is no treatment for influenza. Those who do might develop a virus similar to the flu.
Between one in a thousand and one in a hundred people who are polio-infected with the disease create more serious issues that may cause paralysis. This is also the time when the illness becomes fatal, especially when breathing muscle become paralyzed.
Until an outbreak in 2018, which was contained within the same month, Papua New Guinea was said to be polio-free since 2000.
The most recent cases were identified as having a influenza tension that was genetically related to one that was being circulated in Indonesia. Indonesia’s east province, Papua New Guinea, and the country share a border.
Elias Kapavore, the health secretary, has pledged to have the entire country immunised against influenza by the end of this year.
Polio is a severe disease, he said, adding that there is no justification.
The ongoing battle is anticipated to reach 3.5 million people and will target children ages 10 and under.
The office stated in a Facebook post yesterday that” the fight against polio starts today.”
Papua New Guinea is being supported by the WHO, UN’s children firm Unicef, and the state of Australia.
Veera Mendonca, a representative for Papua New Guinea for Unicef, pointed out the gap in vaccination coverage across the nation, with some towns having insurance as low as 8 %.
She continued,” That is unacceptable,” adding that Unicef is collaborating with community leaders and churches to spread misinformation.
In recent years, influenza has staged a return abroad in Asia. Last month, Afghanistan recorded 24 cases of the disease, while Pakistan saw 74 cases.
After finding traces of the disease in waste, the WHO also issued a warning about an outbreak in Gaza, which has been ravaged by conflict.