NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) – Nassau is the latest county in the state to detect polio in its wastewater, indicating community spread.
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency amid “evidence of circulating polio.”
The declaration will allow more types of providers to administer the polio vaccine, such as pharmacists, making it easier to obtain.
It does not mean there is an outbreak. But it does mean that if there is an outbreak, the vaccine would prevent any spread.
Polio was previously detected in wastewater collected in samples from Rockland, Orange and Sullivan counties and New York City.
The strains recovered in sewage from the above three counties and New York were all genetically related to the only case of polio identified in the state: a resident of Rockland County.
During a news conference Friday, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman stressed that there are no cases of polio in the county.
“I don’t want to alarm anybody, there are no cases of polio that have been discovered here in this region or in Nassau County,” Blakeman said. “No one should panic, there is no crisis right now, there are no active cases of polio in Nassau County.”
The polio strands were detected during routine testing of wastewater for several viruses, including the coronavirus. Testing has been routine for the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“They’ve been key because what they allow us to do is determine if there’s a flare-up before people have symptoms and tell their doctors, so it saves us days where we can prepare,” Blakeman said. .
A trace of poliovirus appeared to have come from the North Shore region that includes Manhasset, Port Washington, Roslyn and Glenwood Landing.
The sample was taken at the local wastewater facility and sent to the state.
It could mean one of two things: or someone recently received an oral vaccine that is not available in the US. Traces of viruses will appear in sewage.
“If we have follow-up tests that continue to be positive, that will give us an idea of whether it’s an ongoing situation or whether it’s just a test,” said acting Nassau County Health Commissioner Andrew Knect.
The other possibility is that someone has the virus and has not been reported because they are asymptomatic.
“About 74 percent of people who have it have no symptoms,” Knecht said. “So that may be the case and people just need to be alert about what their vaccine status is. Because that’s the only way to protect yourself.”
The Department of Health urges all those who have not done so to get vaccinated against polio. Nassau County officials said they have been on the phone with the state and the CDC to make sure the county has enough vaccine so anyone who hasn’t had one can get one right away.
All affected counties have low polio vaccination rates among young children.
Among children who received polio immunizations before their second birthday:
– Rockland County has a polio vaccination rate of 60.34%
-Orange County has a polio vaccination rate of 58.68%
-Sullivan County has a polio vaccination rate of 62.33%
– Nassau County has a polio vaccination rate of 79.15%, compared to the state average of 78.96%.
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