New York state health officials on Monday called for New Yorkers to be vaccinated against polio as soon as possible, after an update suggested the virus may have spread in a New York City suburb.
The first US case of polio since 2013 was recorded in Rockland County in July and health departments moved to address the rare occurrence, as the virus is highly contagious and could cause paralysis in those infected.
"Polio is a dangerous disease with potentially devastating consequences," Health Commissioner Dr Mary Bassett said on Monday.
New York state's health department and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention found that "the polio virus was detected in [wastewater surveillance] samples from June in Rockland County".
"These findings underscore the critical importance of vaccination to protect all New Yorkers and New York children against polio," the department said.
There are no treatments or cures for polio but it can be prevented with a vaccine.
It can be spread by bodily fluids and faeces, and close contact with infected people. Children are most at risk.
Pupils in New York must complete a three-dose polio vaccine regimen to attend school.
"In the United States, we are so fortunate to have available the crucial protection offered through polio vaccination, which has safeguarded our country and New Yorkers for over 60 years," Dr Bassett said.
Polio has continued to be defined as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation since 2014. Cases have been reported in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Israel this year.
Britain is also fighting a polio outbreak this month, and health officials are immunising children who are not fully vaccinated after the virus was found in wastewater.
The virus was eradicated from the US in the 1970s through a mass-vaccination campaign.
"Given how quickly polio can spread, now is the time for every adult, parent, and guardian to get themselves and their children vaccinated as soon as possible," Dr Bassett said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
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