Israel’s Health Ministry announced on Thursday that the polio virus has been detected in wastewater samples from multiple locations in the central region, following earlier findings in Jerusalem.
The virus was identified in samples taken from Bnei Brak, Ramle, Lod and the Shafdan wastewater treatment facility, indicating ongoing transmission among the population, the ministry said.
Last year, the virus caused paralysis in a 17-year-old boy from the Jerusalem area.
The Health Ministry urged anyone not vaccinated against polio to immediately get inoculated. The vaccine is available at clinics nationwide and through student health services.
Polio is a highly infectious disease primarily transmitted through fecal-oral contamination, often as a result of drinking contaminated water or exposure to poor sanitation and inadequate sewage control.
Approximately 98% of Israel’s population has been immunized against polio, according to the Health Ministry.
Last year, the Israel Defense Forces said it would offer polio vaccinations to soldiers fighting in Gaza after the virus was discovered in sewage there.
