Polio Found Circulating In Rockland Again: NY Health Officials

ROCKLND COUNTY, NY — Polio was found in wastewater in Rockland County in February, the first time since October, but none has been found in Orange County since December, New York health officials said in their latest poliovirus surveillance report March 22.

Since a young unvaccinated Rockland man was paralyzed by the highly contagious virus in 2022, most of the polio in wastewater samples discovered in downstate New York have been found to be genetically linked to the Rockland case. That includes 45 samples collected in Rockland County, 30 samples collected in Orange County, 13 samples collected in Sullivan County, 5 samples collected in Brooklyn, and 1 sample collected in Nassau County.

Of the 45 samples identified in Rockland, 2 were collected in May, 3 were collected in June, 9 were collected in July, 21 were collected in August, 7 were collected in September, 2 were collected in October, and 1 was collected in February 2023.

Of the 30 samples identified in Orange County, 2 were collected in June, 5 were collected in July, 6 were collected in August, 9 were collected in September, 6 were collected in October, 1 was collected in November, and 1 was collected in December.

"Because of worldwide travel and low vaccination rates, polio may likely be seen in our area again this year," Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said in March.

Orange and Rockland counties have some of the lowest polio vaccination rates for children under 2 years old in New York. As of Aug. 1, 2022, the vaccination rate in Orange was 58.68 percent, which the vaccination rate in Rockland was 60.34 percent. The only county with a lower rate was Yates, at 53.77 percent. The average statewide was 78.96 percent; Dutchess, Putnam, Ulster and Westchester counties all had polio vaccination rates above 70 percent.

NYS sewersheds with poliovirus detections linked to the paralytic polio case in Rockland County:

The environmental findings provide evidence that the unvaccinated Rockland County resident with paralytic polio contracted the virus through local — not abroad or international —transmission and provide evidence of expanding community spread, state health officials said. "This underscores the urgency of every adult and child, particularly those where poliovirus has been identified, getting immunized and staying up to date with their polio immunization schedule."

The findings do not indicate that the young Rockland resident was the source of the transmission. Investigation into the origin continues, officials said.

Anyone who has not been vaccinated against polio, once the terror of families across the United States and still a global scourge, is at risk.

Polio is a highly contagious, life-threatening disease that affects the nervous system and can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, and even death.

Symptoms of polio, which can be mild and flu-like, can take up to 30 days to appear, during which time an infected individual can be shedding virus to others. Some polio cases can result in paralysis or death. According to the World Health Organization, of those paralyzed, 5-10 percent die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.

Most people infected with polio have no symptoms, yet they can still spread the virus. About 1 out of 4 people have mild symptoms of polio including, fever, muscle weakness, headache, nausea, and vomiting. In some cases, polio can infect a person’s brain and spinal cord, causing permanent paralysis (cannot move parts of the body) or even death. Between 2 and 10 out of 100 people who have paralysis from polio die because the virus affects the muscles that help them breathe.

Even people who seem to recover fully can develop new muscle pain, weakness, or paralysis 15 to 40 years later.

Rockland is offering free booster shots to residents planning travel this spring to areas of the world where polio is active, including Israel, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire. In Israel in March, a little girl was paralyzed by polio and four others tested positive, leading to a health advisory from the State Health Department. Israel has also reported poliovirus widespread in wastewater systems.

The Rockland County Department of Health is offering free polio booster clinics at the Robert Yeager Health Center, 50 Sanatorium Road, Building A, in Pomona, only for those who have completed their polio vaccination series.

• Friday, April 14, from 9:00 am-11:00 am
• Friday, April 28, from 9:00 am-11:00 am

Wastewater is sewage that contains feces that have been flushed down the toilet and other water that goes down household drains. Wastewater is managed in the sewage system and treated at wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater collected in sewer systems in New York cannot be a source of polio infection or transmission for the general public.

However, polio can be spread through contact with contaminated bodies of water. The virus spreads through infected feces (bits of which which can be microscopic) that enter the body through the mouth. Respiratory transmission and oral to oral transmission through saliva may also account for some cases.

If you or a family member have never been vaccinated against polio or have not completed the polio vaccination series, call the Rockland County Department of Health at 845-364-2520 or 845-364-2524 to make an appointment at the Immunization Clinic.