Sri Lankan visitors to Indian have been told to take the polio vaccine to avoid carrying back home the polio virus that has affected 376 Indians this year alone. This advisory has been issued by Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India C. Romesh Jayasinghe following the increase of polio cases in Bihar which is a favoured destination for Sri Lankan tourists for its Buddhist heritage.
"I have heard about it. Since there is a surge in polio cases in India in general and in Bodh Gaya in Bihar in particular, it is better to take precaution," Jayasinghe told IANS.
Japan Donates Polio Vaccine Storage Facility to Nigeria
Japan has donated a cold room for storing polio vaccines to the government of the northern Nigerian state of Kano, the part of the world worst affected by the disease, diplomats said.
Advertisement
According to Sri Lanka's state-run Daily News, the government has asked those travelling to India to get the vaccine two weeks before their departure.
Quoting Maheepala Herath, the deputy director general of health services, the paper said this was necessary to avoid possible polio infection. The advisory applies to Sri Lankans of all age. Sri Lanka is polio free.
![World Polio Day]( "World Polio Day")
Polio or Poliomyelitis is an infectious viral disease, which affects the nervous system. Children below the age of five years are more susceptible.
According to the Indian health ministry, the country has reported 367 polio cases this year -- 268 from Uttar Pradesh and 80 from Bihar.
What is alarming is that though India has reported fewer cases this year compared to last year, when there were 676 cases, the number of cases in Bihar has gone up significantly. Last year Bihar reported 67 cases but this year 80 cases have surfaced in the state so far . Last week four cases were reported from Bodh Gaya.
Moreover, Bihar's patients include 33 P1 virus cases - the virus that is most virulent and which spreads faster.
The Sri Lankan advisory has come at a time when Saudi Arabia has asked all Muslims going on Haj from India to take the polio vaccine and carry a certificate about their immunization.
Jayasinghe said the Sri Lankan government was yet to issue such a directive to Indian tourists visiting the island.
"I have not received any communication from my government on this issue. I have not received anything from the Indian health ministry either. But you don't know what is on its way in the coming week," he added.
Source: IANS
KAR/P
World Polio Day
Polio or Poliomyelitis is an infectious viral disease, which affects the nervous system. Children below the age of five years are more susceptible.
Advertisement
According to the Indian health ministry, the country has reported 367 polio cases this year -- 268 from Uttar Pradesh and 80 from Bihar.
What is alarming is that though India has reported fewer cases this year compared to last year, when there were 676 cases, the number of cases in Bihar has gone up significantly. Last year Bihar reported 67 cases but this year 80 cases have surfaced in the state so far . Last week four cases were reported from Bodh Gaya.
Moreover, Bihar's patients include 33 P1 virus cases - the virus that is most virulent and which spreads faster.
The Sri Lankan advisory has come at a time when Saudi Arabia has asked all Muslims going on Haj from India to take the polio vaccine and carry a certificate about their immunization.
Jayasinghe said the Sri Lankan government was yet to issue such a directive to Indian tourists visiting the island.
"I have not received any communication from my government on this issue. I have not received anything from the Indian health ministry either. But you don't know what is on its way in the coming week," he added.
Source: IANS
KAR/P
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Drug News
Researchers create needle-free Zika vaccine patch, using HD-MAP tech, aiming to protect against fatal virus spread by mosquitoes.
Examining FDA and patent records, researchers found that insulin manufacturers prolong market exclusivity for brand-name products.
The rise in FDA ODD awards indicates a collective endeavor to create new myelofibrosis medications devoid of mechanisms inducing anemia.
The most significant decrease in autoimmune thyroid disease risk was observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving immunomodulatory drugs or 'biological DMARDs'.
Human apotransferrin injected to mice models suffering from intracerebral hemorrhage was found to mitigate the serious effects of stroke.