It is estimated that the incidence of polio has decreased by 99% since 1988, according to the official website of the World Health Organization.
However, if one child is infected with the polio virus, this means that children in all countries are at risk of contracting it, according to the organization.
How is it transmitted?
Polio is a highly contagious viral disease that invades the nervous system. It can cause complete paralysis within hours.
The virus is transmitted through person-to-person, it spread mainly through faeces, and to a lesser extent, by a common means (such as contaminated water or food), and it multiplies in the intestine.
The primary symptoms of the disease are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, neck stiffness, and pain in the limbs.
Here are some facts about polio:
This disease primarily affects children under the age of five.
One in 200 cases of the disease is terminally paralyzed. Between 5% and 10% of people are paralyzed due to the cessation of their respiratory muscles.
It is estimated that the incidence of polio has decreased by 99% since 1988, from about 350,000 cases recorded that year to 33 cases reported in 2018.
There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented. The polio vaccine, given in multiple batches, can protect a child from the disease for life.
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