Zimbabwe has launched an urgent effort to vaccinate over 4 million children against polio. This comes after three cases were reported, caused by a rare mutation of the weakened virus found in oral vaccines. One of the victims, a 10-year-old girl, was paralyzed in January.

Last year, laboratory tests conducted by the health ministry in Harare found a mutated polio virus in samples collected from sewage sites. The virus is believed to have originated from an oral vaccine used in the global campaign to eradicate polio.

Occasionally, the active polio virus in vaccinations may transform into a type that can cause fresh outbreaks, particularly in areas with inadequate hygiene and limited immunization rates.

The number of polio cases globally has dropped by more than 99% since the global effort to wipe out the disease led by the World Health Organization and others began in 1988. But the majority of children being paralyzed by polio these days are being crippled by a virus that was originally linked to a vaccine.

According to officials, vaccination teams in Zimbabwe are traveling door-to-door to administer additional doses for children’s protection. Some teams will also be stationed at healthcare facilities.

Authorities stated that this would be Zimbabwe’s initial utilization of a novel oral polio vaccine created to decrease the likelihood of the virus transforming into a hazardous form.

Zimbabwe’s goal is to distribute over 10 million additional doses of vaccine to 4 million children under the age of 10 in two separate rounds during February and March. It is crucial that at least 95% of this population receive the polio vaccine in order to prevent any new outbreaks.

In the past year, Afghanistan and Pakistan were the only countries to report instances of the wild polio virus, with a total of twelve cases. In contrast, over 500 cases were reported in nearly 20 countries worldwide due to polio viruses associated with vaccines, primarily in Africa.

According to the United Nations children’s agency, the most recent case of wild polio virus in Zimbabwe was reported in 1986.

The recent discovery of polio in Zimbabwe has raised concerns for Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora, who has stated that they are ready to take swift action. The health ministry is working with health officials from five other African nations that have also found polio through environmental testing and regular monitoring.

The polio virus can result in complete loss of movement, and young children are at a higher risk. It spreads through direct contact with infected feces, contaminated water or food, and can also be transmitted through respiratory droplets from someone who is infected.

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This report was contributed to by Maria Cheng, AP Medical Writer based in London.

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Africa news from the Associated Press: https://apnews.com/hub/africa