Polio in The USA (New York State)
22 Jul 2022
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has reported a case of polio in Rockland County, New York in the week ending 22 July 2022. Rockland County is north of New York City, on the west side of the Hudson River.
Advice for Travellers
Polio is a serious infection caused by the poliovirus. The virus lives in an infected person’s throat and intestines. It enters the body through the mouth and spreads through:
- contact with the poo from an infected person
- droplets from a cough or sneeze from an infected person, this is less common
You can become infected if you:
- have poo on your hands and you touch your mouth
- put objects in your mouth that are contaminated with the infected poo
- consume food and water that has been contaminated with the poo from an infected person
You should consider having a booster dose of polio vaccine if it has been more than 10 years since your last booster and you are travelling to a country where polio remains a problem.
For further information see the fitfortravel Poliomyelitis page.