It is feared that POLIO has spread across the UK undetected, experts have warned.
And not controlling sewer systems will leave communities at risk for the virus from spreading further, they added.
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Polio is feared to have spread across the UK undetectedCredit: Getty
Poliomyelitis has been found at London’s wastewater treatment works and there is evidence of transmission in a small number of people, the UK Health and Safety Agency announced on Wednesday.
But the medical body has no plans to test any other sewer work, the Telegraph reported.
Adam Finn, a professor at the University of Bristol, warned: “Right now all they have is these wastewater samples.
“They don’t really know where it is exactly, because it’s in a central location in north London that drains a large area of London.
“And so they’re going to have to do more localized samples to see if they can figure out if it’s just a home or it’s an entire community, what extent is it?
“And here they have not been monitoring wastewater, apart from London or Glasgow.
“Therefore, there is also no real awareness of whether there may be a polio virus anywhere else in the country.”
The World Health Organization’s Poliomyelitis Eradication Certification Commission added: “Without extensive national surveillance of environmental poliovirus, it is not possible to know whether this problem is more widespread.”
Many sites monitored wastewater nationwide to track Covid in wastewater, but it has not been expanded to include polio, which is said to be spreading for the first time since 1984.
Dr Philip Minor, a retired independent consultant before the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, said: “Wastewater monitoring is cheap.
“It does not depend on finding cases or mass surveillance.
“Using modern sequencing technology, it is possible to search for any virus that can be shed in the feces in sufficient quantities.
“In my view, there should be a significant investment in wastewater monitoring to prepare for pandemics.”
The British were urged yesterday to check their vaccine records to check that they had been attacked for polio.
It is part of the NHS routine routine vaccination schedule.
But as many try to access their records, they have become confused, and GPs are even struggling to understand if patients are up to date with vaccinations.
It is given as a puncture when a child is 8, 12 and 16 weeks old. And two more injections are given at 3 years and 4 months, and at 14 years.
However, one in ten London children aged five is not fully vaccinated against the insect.
Parents were asked to review their children’s medical history.
Health officials have said the British should check that their children’s blows are up to date after detecting signs of virus transmission between individuals.