Unhygienic food preparation spreading polio

POLIO can be spread through food prepared in an unhygienic manner and sold in public places, says a health official.
Tapie Inare, a community health worker at the Goroka General Hospital, said it was a message they were trying to convey to food vendors.
“We want to tell vendors this (message) but they chase us away saying we are trying to destroy their business,” Inare said.
“The polio virus is easily spread through food prepared in an unhygienic manner.
“We are not trying to stop people from buying cooked food and stopping people from selling it.
“We want them to be careful as polio can be spread through eating contaminated food.”
Inare said the polio vaccination teams in Goroka were administering the second-last round of vaccination to children.
“A final round of vaccination will be given to children in the province after an assessment is made,” Inare said.
“Since the outbreak of polio last year, we have so far given six rounds of vaccines to children 15 years and below. We have polio vaccination teams going out to Kama, West Goroka, East Goroka, North Goroka, Faniufa and other areas of the district to vaccinate children.”
He said health workers in the province were doing the same.
Red Cross volunteer Philip Opa said there were 26 confirmed cases of polio infections in the country.