WHO: Polio cases ‘very likely’ in Gaza population

GAZA, July 30 (YPA) – Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), has warned of the possible emergence of polio cases in Gaza, in what would be a setback for global efforts to eradicate the disease,

In a press conference at the United Nations on Tuesday, Lindmeier stated that it is very likely that people in the Gaza Strip have been infected with polio, but it is difficult to detect cases of this deadly virus because most of them have no visible symptoms.

Gaza’s health ministry declared a polio epidemic across the Palestinian enclave late on Monday after samples of the virus were found in sewage. It has not announced any human cases.

“Having vaccine-derived polio virus in the sewage very likely means that it’s out there somewhere in people,” he said. “So the risk of (it)… spreading further is there and it would be a setback definitely (for global efforts).”

He said an investigation and risk assessment was under way in Gaza.

@E.Y.M