A case of polio was identified in an unvaccinated individual in New York in late July 2022 and the virus has been detected in wastewater samples in multiple counties in the state.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with local public health officials to investigate.
Polio has been basically eliminated in the U.S. since 1979. The disease hasn't been fully eradicated around the globe and there have been cases where an infected traveler brought Polio to the U.S., with this last happening in 1993.
There is no cure for polio, but it is preventable through safe and effective vaccination. So get your child vaccinated on schedule to protect them from polio.
A disabling and life-threatening disease, the polio virus lives in the infected person's throat and intestines. It is spread through person-to-person contact, usually by minute pieces of contaminated feces on your hand, toy or other object reaching your mouth.
Most people with polio will either have no visible symptoms or flu-like symptoms, but 1 in 1000 will develop more serious symptoms. It can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis and lead to permanent disability and death.
Polio resources
News on the case in NY