The Country will soon be free of polio. Only 30 cases have been reported till mid September this year. In the whole of 2004, there were only 134 cases. The Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss is expected to announce by the end of this year or early next year that India is polio free.
Among the 30 cases, 16 have been reported from Uttar Pradesh, 11 from Bihar, one each from Jharkhand, Uttranchal and Delhi. The most recent case reported was from Badaun in UP in August. This is as per data supplied by the National Polio Surveillance Project and WHO.
Of the 3 types of Polio causing Viruses type 2 virus has already been eliminated. During 2004 and 2005, Type 3 virus has been restrained and limited to 4 districts of Moradabad, Rampur, Shajahanpur and Bareilly in Western UP. The P1 type virus is very virulent and remains the main cause of Polio - myelitis. During 2005, till September only 30 were confirmed and out of these, 15 were detected during January and February, which were tail-end cases of 2004. From March till mid September there were only 15 confirmed cases.
In view of the predominance of type 1 viruses, the centre has revised its strategy for the use of monovalent OPV 1 in UP, Bihar, Delhi and Mumbai on the advise of WHO and Experts.
VKS/AS
(Release ID :13025)