Third confirmed polio case reported in the Philippines
- The patient is a 4-year-old girl in Maguindanao province who was brought to hospital on September 26 after she suffered a sudden onset of paralysis
- The Department of Health announced on September 19 that polio had re-emerged in the Philippines, 19 years after the WHO declared it disease-free
The patient is a 4-year-old girl from the town of Datu Piang in Maguindanao province, 925 kilometres south of Manila, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a statement.
The girl was brought to hospital on September 26 after she suffered a sudden onset of paralysis.
“On October 23, stool samples sent to the National Institute of Infectious Disease-Japan tested positive for vaccine-derived poliovirus 2,” Duque said.
The virus found in the third patient was “genetically linked” to the virus from the first case in nearby Lanao Del Sur province, he said.
The health department has been holding door-to-door vaccination campaigns in various parts of the country to immunise more children against the disease.
There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented with vaccination. While polio is rarely fatal, it causes paralysis.
“I encourage all parents and guardians, to ensure that all of your children are protected from all vaccine-preventable diseases,” Duque said.
Health experts blamed low immunisation coverage, vaccine hesitancy, complacency, logistical concerns and busy lifestyles as some of the causes for disease outbreaks.
