Polio: Philippines Reports 8th Confirmed Case

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The Philippines reported its eight confirmed case of polio on Monday as authorities urged parents to make sure that their children are vaccinated against the highly contagious disease.

The latest patient is a 9-year-old girl from the southern province of Basilan, 900 kilometres south of Manila, the department of health said.

The Philippines was declared free of polio 19 years ago but on Sept. 19, the government announced that a 3-year-old girl from the southern province of Lanao del Sur was found to have the disease.

Polio is caused by the poliovirus and can cause paralysis.

Since then, the department has been conducting a vaccination campaign targeting all children below five years of age in Manila and the southern region of Mindanao.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the government has sufficient stock of the oral polio vaccine and has involved local governments, schools, malls and fast-food chains in the immunisation campaign.

“I urge all parents and caregivers of children under five years old to take part in the campaign and have their children vaccinated by our health workers,” he said.

“I am confident that we will be successful in halting this outbreak if we continue to work together and make sure that no child is left unvaccinated,” Duque said.

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