The polio virus has been detected in sewers in London, England, and local health officials are nervous.
British media, including Sky News, reported on the 22nd (local time) that the polio virus was detected in samples taken from London’s Beckton sewage treatment plant between February and May, and there are concerns about the spread of the virus in the region.
The virus evolved into poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) and is believed to have come from the feces of a family in northeast London. It has been confirmed only in sewage, and no infected person has appeared.
The UK Health and Safety Agency (UKHSA) is reassuring that the risk of spreading to the public is very low. However, it is planning to find the state of the spread and the area where it occurred through an emergency investigation.
It can spread in areas where polio vaccination is under-served, but the overall risk is low in the UK as most are vaccinated as children, SkyNews said.