Polio-like samples in India’s Uttar Pradesh state ring alarm bells

Barely a year after India was declared polio-free, more than 200 samples have tested positive to polio-like symptoms from districts in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.

The samples — from Baheri, Faridpur, Meergunj, Nawabgunj and other districts in Bareilly — have raised concerns in the health department and have been sent for further testing to the central laboratory in Mumbai. Officials were also informed that children aged between 5 and 15 years have complained about loss of muscular strength and paralysis in their limbs.

In order for a disease to be eradicated, a country must have zero recorded cases of an infectious disease for three years, according to the rules by World Health Organisation (WHO).

India’s last case of polio was reported in January 13, 2011, when an 18-month-old girl in a Kolkata slum was found to have contracted it. Three years later, the country was declared polio free.

A team of doctors at primary and community health centres in affected districts examined the latest cases, who then informed WHO officials. The organisation subsequently collected stool samples of 208 children and sent them to the Mumbai lab. The reports from the lab are currently awaited.

Simultaneously, the local administration is also taking precautions. “We have deputed special teams across the district who are keeping an eye on such cases. Weakness in hands and legs does not essentially mean that the child is suffering from polio,” the report quoted Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Vijay Yadav as saying.

“Only if the test report of the stool sample confirms presence of wild polio virus can it be treated as a case of polio. We have received reports of 170 samples from the lab so far and they have been negative. Reports for the remaining are awaited,” he added.

According to Yadav, the last polio case in Bareilly was reported in 2009 from Bhamaura village. Meanwhile, the last case in Uttar Pradesh was reported in 2010 from Firozabad district.

This year, WHO collected 5,551 samples, most of which tested negative. The reports of 787 of those samples are currently awaited.

“Across the world this year, only 25 cases of polio have been reported from Pakistan and three in Afghanistan. We have to remain extra cautious, because we share our boundary with Pakistan and chances are that the virus will be transmitted from there,” said Yadav.

According to doctors, polio symptoms include high fever, paralysis attack, weakening of muscles in the limbs and loss of sensation in the face.