BREAKING: New Polio Case Detected In Adamawa

The Adamawa State Ministry of Health has confirmed a new case of polio virus in the state.

Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Prof. Abdullahi Isa, comfirmed the development during a routine immunisation on Saturday.

He, however, assured that the state government with support from World Healrh Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF was on top of the situation as 800 health personnel had so far been trained to carry out polio vaccination across the 21 local government areas of the state.

Prof. Isa, who could not disclose the exact area where the polio virus was detected, only said, “One case of Circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus Type 2 has been detected in the state.”

According to him, Vaccine Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened polio virus that was initially included in Oral Polio Vaccine ( OPV) that has changed overtime.

He pointed out that the re-emergence of the virus is a setback in the health sector due to possiblity of transmission.

“The development that led to resurface of the Poliovirus type 2 necessitated the immediate flag off of the first round outbreak response for Oral Polio Vaccine,” he added.

For his part, State Coordinator of WHO, Dr Iyobosa Igbinovia, said that the resurfaced polio virus was a threat to healthcare in the North-East.

“WHO is working hand in hand with the state government to ensure total eradication of the virus and to ensure every eligible child is vaccinated against Polio,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Muhammadu Babaparis, the District Head of Jimeta, has directed all traditional rulers to ensure their subjects are vaccinated againt the virus in the state.