Acting Minister of Health, Cornelius Mweetwa, has announced that a polio virus has been detected in the environment in Lusaka.
Mr Mweetwa, who is also Minister of Information and Media, says the laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of poliovirus type 2 from an environmental sample collected in Lusaka through routine surveillance systems.
He, however, states that currently there are no confirmed cases of paralysis linked to the detection.
The Minister has further highlighted that the isolate detected case in Lusaka closely matches strains previously identified in Namibia and linked to Angola, stating that the Southern Africa sub-region remains on high alert following recent isolations.
Mr Mweetwa has since cautioned that the presence of the virus in the environment indicates active circulation within the community and requires immediate action to prevent possible infections, particularly among children.
The media reports that speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka today, Mr Mweetwa, indicated that the virus thrives in areas with poor sanitation, open defecation and inadequate access to clean drinking water.
He has assured that the Government, through the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners has activated its emergency response.
Mr Mweetwa stated that measures being implemented include intensified surveillance to identify any cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), enhanced environmental sampling, and strengthened risk communication to raise awareness about the importance of polio vaccination.
He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to safeguarding the health of all Zambians and called for collective action to prevent the spread of polio and protect the future of the children.
Meanwhile, World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr Clement Lamusa, stated that his organisation and other partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, working alongside UNICEF and other stakeholders, stand ready to support the government in mounting an immediate and effective response to the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus.
Polio cholera covid marasmus they are all citizens of Zambia