Polio Facts

What is Polio? Poliomyelitis (polio) is a crippling disease that mainly presents itself with sudden weakness of the arms and legs.

One in 200 persons infected with poliovirus develops paralysis (poliomyelitis) * How is polio spread? With poor hygiene and sanitation poliovirus spreads through faccal-oral contamination. * What are the signs and symptoms of polio? A patient with poliomyelitis may experience: – At first (one or more of the following) – Back pain, neck stiffness or pain, headache, fever, difficulty in waking and muscle pain – After one to five days – Lower limb weakness, lower limb paralysis, upper limb weakness and difficulty in breathing.* How soon after exposure to the poliovirus do symptoms appear? The time between infection and onset of paralysis is seven to 14 days.* Can polio be transmitted from one person to another? Polio is spread through the stools of infected people to non-infected people.If a person defecates into a water source, the water can be contaminated with the poliovirus.* What is the treatment for polio? No specific drug is available.Patients’ paralysed limbs should be supported in a neutral position and pain can be relieved with moist heat.* Measures to be taken to prevent poliovirus transmission: Always wash hands after using the toilet and before eating.Wash or cook well all foods such as fruit and vegetables before eating.If the water supply in your area is from an uncertain source, then boil water before drinking.Polio can be prevented though immunisation with oral polio vaccine.Given Namibia’s current outbreak, vaccination with the monovalent vaccine (mOPV) to be used in the campaign is preferable to trivalent vaccine (tOPV).* What is the Ministry of Health and Social Services doing about the current outbreak? The Ministry has intensified polio surveillance throughout the country, through reporting and investigating any suspected cases of polio.The public is requested to report to their nearest health facilities if any person develops sudden onset symptoms such as weakness of arms and legs and breathing difficulties.Mass vaccination campaigns are being planned as follows: First round: June 21-23 2006 Second round: July 18-20 2006 Third round: August 22-24 2006 For more information contact: Ministry of Health and Social Services Primary Health Care Directorate Division: Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Ms G.Kamboo – 2032782 Mr SS Mungambwa 2032781 Ms D Kambinda 2032785 * Facts obtained from the Ministry of Health and Social Services* What are the signs and symptoms of polio? A patient with poliomyelitis may experience: – At first (one or more of the following) – Back pain, neck stiffness or pain, headache, fever, difficulty in waking and muscle pain – After one to five days – Lower limb weakness, lower limb paralysis, upper limb weakness and difficulty in breathing.* How soon after exposure to the poliovirus do symptoms appear? The time between infection and onset of paralysis is seven to 14 days.* Can polio be transmitted from one person to another? Polio is spread through the stools of infected people to non-infected people.If a person defecates into a water source, the water can be contaminated with the poliovirus.* What is the treatment for polio? No specific drug is available.Patients’ paralysed limbs should be supported in a neutral position and pain can be relieved with moist heat.* Measures to be taken to prevent poliovirus transmission: Always wash hands after using the toilet and before eating.Wash or cook well all foods such as fruit and vegetables before eating.If the water supply in your area is from an uncertain source, then boil water before drinking.Polio can be prevented though immunisation with oral polio vaccine.Given Namibia’s current outbreak, vaccination with the monovalent vaccine (mOPV) to be used in the campaign is preferable to trivalent vaccine (tOPV).* What is the Ministry of Health and Social Services doing about the current outbreak? The Ministry has intensified polio surveillance throughout the country, through reporting and investigating any suspected cases of polio.The public is requested to report to their nearest health facilities if any person develops sudden onset symptoms such as weakness of arms and legs and breathing difficulties.Mass vaccination campaigns are being planned as follows: First round: June 21-23 2006 Second round: July 18-20 2006 Third round: August 22-24 2006 For more information contact: Ministry of Health and Social Services Primary Health Care Directorate Division: Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Ms G.Kamboo – 2032782 Mr SS Mungambwa 2032781 Ms D Kambinda 2032785 * Facts obtained from the Ministry of Health and Social Services