Israel’s Ministry of Health has stated that it has identified polio infection in a 4-year-old child in Jerusalem.

This is for the first time since 1989 that a case of polio has been detected in Israel, reported Xinhua news agency, as it cited Israeli media. The ministry stated that the child was not vaccinated as part of the routine vaccinations that children in the country are given. A statement from the ministry said that the source of the disease is a strain of polio virus that has undergone change and is capable of causing disease in the unvaccinated.

The ministry urged people to adhere to routine vaccinations at the recommended times and also called for completion of vaccination for people who have not received their doses. An epidemiological investigation has been started and the regional health administration in Jerusalem will contact people close to the child for further guidance… (ET Healthworld – IANS, March 7, 2022)