By AGGREY OMBOKIMore by this AuthorKenya’s hopes of being certified as a polio-free country have been dashed after the discovery of live polio viruses in sewage samples from Nairobi’s Eastleigh estate. SURVEILLANCEKenya has been carrying out sample surveillance in targeted areas for possible polio outbreaks since 2013 after the large wild polio virus outbreak in Somalia which resulted in 14 cases. “This type of virus has the capacity to cause paralysis in un-protected or un-immunised persons just like the wild polio viruses,” read Dr Kioko’s statement. EASTLEIGH STRAINHe confirmed that the type found in Eastleigh was a vaccine derived polio virus type 2, which comes from the oral polio vaccine mostly administered to children and contains a live but weakened virus. MONITORINGCurrently, Kenya is engaged in the process of replacing the weakened virus vaccine with the inactivated polio variety, which partly consists of a dead virus.

Source: Daily Nation April 29, 2018 14:15 UTC