Ministry of Health declares public health emergency after poliovirus detected in Koforidua

The Ministry of Health has declared a public health emergency following the detection of the poliovirus in Koforidua.

In a statement released on September 16, 2024, the ministry reported that the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was detected during routine surveillance activities.

Additionally, it said that collected environmental samples tested positive for the poliovirus, prompting the ministry to initiate certain measures to prevent an outbreak of the virus.

“The Polio Laboratory of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) which serves as the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Polio Laboratory, through routine surveillance activities on polio, has detected circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) from environmental sample in the Koforidua site in Eastern Region.

“The sample was collected on 20 August 2024. The isolation result was obtained on 3rd September 2024 as suspected polio and subsequently confirmed as cVDPV2 on 5th September 2024. This detection of environmental polio constitutes a Public Health Emergency,” the statement said.

Ghanaians have been advised on the necessary preventive measures to take in order to avoid contracting the disease.

Polio is a contagious viral illness that in its most severe form causes nerve injury, leading to paralysis, difficulty in breathing and sometimes death, particularly among children.

Poliovirus can be transmitted through direct contact with someone infected with the virus or, less commonly, through contaminated food and water.

Infected persons can spread the virus for weeks in their faeces.

Read full statement below



MAG/AE