Fresh polio outbreak hits Zim

GOVERNMENT has confirmed the outbreak of a Type 2 poliovirus variant in the country saying an emergency polio vaccination programme has commenced.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Health and Child Care deputy minister Sleiman Timios Kwidini said the detection of these viruses in the environment or in humans constitutes a polio outbreak.

“The Health and Child Care ministry wishes to inform the public that it has confirmed through laboratory tests the presence of a Type 2 circulating poliovirus variant in environmental samples that were collected towards the end of 2023 from sewage sites covering Budiriro, Mbare and Mufakose catchments in Harare Metropolitan province,” he said.

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