Mandaue river found positive for poliovirus

Authorities cautioned residents after the Mandaue River in Cebu tested positive for poliovirus.

The Mandaue City Health Office checked the water of the river before 2022 ended, according to Nikko Sereno's GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak report which aired in "24 Oras" on Thursday.

This was after seeing a fecal strain from a patient possibly caused by poliovirus.

Mandaue City acting vice mayor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, who is also a doctor, said the human waste possibly came from houses and went to the river.

Currently, there are no polio cases in the city.

However, the residents were advised not to drink water from the river.

“Kailangan pakuluan ang tubig dahil nandyan ang polio virus sa tubig sa ilog. Delikado bumalik ang polio,” Soon-Ruiz said.

(The water must be boiled because the polio virus is present in the water in the river. It is dangerous for polio to return.)

Poliovirus commonly enters in the human mouth through hands, food, and drink contaminated with polio virus from human feces.

It attacks the spinal cord and nerves that control the muscles, especially in the feet until they cannot move or paralyzed.

Last April 27, the Department of Health (DOH) kicked off a nationwide supplemental immunization campaign to vaccinate children against measles, rubella, and polio.

Based on a UNICEF report, the Philippines has one million zero-dose children. This is the second highest in East Asia and the Pacific Region, and the fifth highest globally.

The country’s perception of the importance of vaccines for children also declined by 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DOH said it would allocate funds for the Centers for Health Development’s hiring of vaccinators, risk communications and advocacy activities; and the delivery of vaccines and other supplies for the conduct of the campaign.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA Integrated News