The Department of Health has confirmed that polio virus was detected in at least two dozen samples from the environment and continues to spread in communities in the National Capital Region.
The DOH said that 26 out of the 142 samples taken from bodies of water and sewage plants tested positive for polio, of which 25 were from the National Capital Region and 1 was from Davao City, the DOH said.
“If viruses continue to spread from person-to-person in areas with low immunization coverage, the polio virus evolves and regains the ability to cause paralysis,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a statement.
The DOH added that parents should vaccinate their children aged 5 years old and below. A massive immunization program was launched this week and will run until December 7.
The samples were collected from July 1 to Nov. 26 in the NCR, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Davao region, Soccsksargen, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Poliovirus types 1 and 2 were confirmed by the Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
The DOH confirmed the first case of polio last September after being polio free for 19 years.
