Should Canadians worry about polio? A new virus? Vaccination is key, says Tam

Polio As the virus reappears in parts of the world, many Canadians are wondering how to protect themselves from the disease maybe. According to Canada'stop doctor, getting vaccinated is the best and most effective way.

"When it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccines against polio are very effective," said Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. mentioned in the update.

“The key is to stay up-to-date on immunization … Canada has very high polio vaccination coverage, but we don't know what happened during the pandemic. I hope people catch up before the trip,” she added. An unvaccinated American living in New York reported being diagnosed with polio for the first time in the country in nearly a decade.

Read More: In the sewers of New York City Polio detected, virus may be spreading among people Not vaccinated: Officials

No other cases have been reported and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control ( CDC) is urging parents to vaccinate their children against potentially deadly diseases.

The findings came shortly after UK health officials reported they had found evidence that the virus was spreading in London, but so far no human cases have been reported. .

The UK's National Health Service said an investigation into community transmission was ongoing and that as of August 10, her children from her 1-year-old to her 9-year-old in London were polio free of her vaccine add-on. He said he was eligible to be vaccinated.

Health Canada has not recorded a case of the virus for more than 25 years, but Dr. Tam said during a health update that when it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases, the issue is under vaccination. I explained that there is, and in many cases, it can lead to re-case-emergence.

READ MORE: How does polio spread? What are the symptoms? Here's what we do know:

The poliovirus is highly contagious,and usually has no or mild fever, malaise and nausea. , causing mild symptoms such as diarrhea and sore throat. The disease is most common in young children, but adults who are not fully vaccinated can also become ill. The virus attacks the nervous system, with 1-5% of infections causing meningitis and less than 1% causing paralysis.

Unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated peopleParalyzed by polio55} have the highest risk.

Canada's routine childhood vaccination schedule includes an injectable polio vaccine up to age 2 years and a booster dose at ages 4-6. Injectable vaccines are inactivated and cannot transmit the virus from person to person.

Emerging viruses

Some experts on climate change and infectious diseases agree that global warming is likely to increase the risk of new viruses emerging. I'm here.

In a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, researchers look at the medical literature on cases of established diseases. Of the 375 known human infectious diseases examined, 58%, or 58%, appeared to be exacerbated by one of 10 extreme weather events associated with climate change.

These new and re-emerging infectious diseases include monkeypox, malaria, hantavirus, cholera, anthrax, and the Langya virus detected in China. .

Tam also emphasized the potential for increased emergence of viruses due to climate change. It is expected to increase because of travel, Tam warned. However, vaccination can help prevent infection.

READ MORE: Risks from climate change exacerbate 58% of people's infectious diseases, study says

We need to be prepared, do our research, and don't ignore them...as we know monkeypox has been knocking on our doors for quite some time, We are now finding ways to invade human populations," Tam said. The majority of reported cases in the outbreak have involved men who have had intimate sexual contact with other men.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox infections are also found in rodents and other wild animals and can spread the virus to humans. Say.

As of 19 August, Canada had reported 1,168 monkeypox cases nationally, followed by Ontario with 571 and Quebec with 453.

To date, there have been 30 hospitalizations in Canada, No fatalities.

"Vaccines are being researched and there are some of them. Probably not enough for global needs, but at least all the research has been done before," Tam said. .

As more infectious diseases emerge, we need global cooperation and more support to examine the risks of re-emerging viruses that could lead to the next pandemic.

Read More: Plans underway to monitor Canadian sewage for monkeypox, polio Traces: Tam

Meanwhile, screens Canadian sewage for new diseases such as monkeypox and polio. Plans are underway to test and measure the above threats. 19, according to Tam.

National Institute of Microbiology experts have found a promising approach to detect monkeypox in wastewater and will use infrastructure developed during the pandemic to hunt for monkeypox. , she added.

— Using Canadian Press and Associated Press files

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