Parents in the UK have been told to ensure their children are fully vaccinated against polio after the virus that causes the disease was found in London sewage samples, 40 years after the last outbreak.
Epidemiological advances since then mean that scientists are now using “world-beating” tools to work out how to “go along the pipe” and locate where the virus came from, a UK health minister said on Wednesday.
“In theory, it might be possible to find individual households or streets,” said Lord Kamall.
The UK Health Security Agency offered further reassurance, suggesting the risk to the public overall was “extremely low”, with the virus detected only in sewage samples in recent months and no cases of paralysis reported.
The UKHSA said the traces found were likely “vaccine-derived”, meaning they came from someone who received the live polio vaccine abroad.
That person would then have passed the virus to closely linked people in London, who shed the virus in their faeces.
“The vaccine virus does have the potential to cause paralysis if it has mutated, and there is evidence that this vaccine virus is beginning to mutate,” Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at UKHSA, said.
“But the single biggest message for individuals is that they can prevent any risk from that virus by being fully vaccinated. So the message is to make sure that you and your family are all up to date for your routine vaccinations.”
The UKHSA is now investigating the extent of community transmission having established a “national incident” as a precaution on Wednesday to check for cases elsewhere.
Britain stopped using the live oral polio vaccine in 2004 and the UN's health agency has called for it to be phased out worldwide and replaced with the inactivated polio vaccine.
The oral polio vaccine replicates in the gut and can be passed to others through faecal-contaminated water — meaning it will not hurt the child who has been vaccinated but it could infect their neighbours in places where hygiene and immunisation levels are low.
While weaker than wild poliovirus, this variant can cause serious illness and paralysis in people not vaccinated against the disease.
Polio, which was officially eradicated in the UK in 2003, can cause paralysis in rare cases and can be life-threatening.
The last case of natural polio infection acquired in the UK was in 1984, nearly 40 years ago.
The inactivated polio vaccine is now given to young babies in the UK as part of a combination vaccine, with boosters given when children are three and 14.
Polio in Britain through the years — in pictures
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RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
MATCH INFO
Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')
Sheffield United 0
Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani