Authorities in New York City on Friday said polio has been detected in New York City’s sewage, suggesting there is local transmission of the virus.
Describing the findings as concerning, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said that local and federal health officials are assessing the situation.
“For every one case of paralytic polio identified, hundreds more may be undetected,” she added in a news release on Friday. “The detection of poliovirus in wastewater samples in New York City is alarming, but not surprising. Already, the State Health Department–working with local and federal partners–is responding urgently, continuing case investigation and aggressively assessing spread.”…