WHO confirms polio outbreak in Syria

(Vatican Radio) Polio has broken out among young children in northeast Syria, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Tuesday, and could spread inside and outside the country, where civil war has led to falling vaccination rates. Listen
The World Health Organization confirmed on Tuesday that out of twenty-two children tested in Syria’s Deir al-Zor province after becoming paralysed, 10 were diagnosed with the polio virus. The other 12 cases are still being investigated.
Most victims are under two years old and have never been vaccinated against the disease which is highly contagious and is transmitted via contaminated food and water.
Since the conflict began in the country, routine immunization programmes have been severely disrupted.
Marixie Mercado, is Spokesperson for UN Children’s Agency UNICEF.
"Around 500,000 children in Syria have not been vaccinated against polio in the past two years due to insecurity and access constraints. Prior to the conflict, immunization coverage in Syria was about 95%."
WHO says that "Immunisations have started in the Deir al-Zor area," and with about 4,000 refugees fleeing Syria's civil war daily, polio immunisation campaigns are planned in neighbouring countries,.
It is the first outbreak of polio in Syria since 1999.