In a startling turn of events, India, which was formally proclaimed polio-free in 2014, may be seeing a recurrence of the virus. Health officials have revealed that a two-year-old child from a secluded community in the West Garo Hills area of Meghalaya may have poliomyelitis. This development coincides with concerns about the return of infectious illnesses as the globe struggles with an increase of monkeypox.
Health officials have acted quickly after discovering the possible case during routine surveillance. The youngster has been sent to a hospital in Goalpara, Assam, for further treatment after being diagnosed with poliomyelitis symptoms. Additionally, a group of medical professionals from the World Health Organisation (WHO) have been to the village of Tikrikilla in order to gather samples and identify the kind of virus—whether it is a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) or a wild poliovirus.
The detection of this case is particularly concerning given that India has not reported any wild poliovirus cases since 2011. If confirmed, this case could signify a major setback in the country’s public health efforts, especially in regions with low vaccination coverage.
The village where the suspected case was detected is one of the clusters with a high number of unvaccinated residents, underscoring the importance of continued vigilance and vaccination efforts.
