Polio threat: India issues alarm at its borders with Pakistan

New Delhi, September 20, 2011 (PPI): The Indian government has issued orders to set up screening booths at Wagah border with Pakistan to administer polio drops to all children up to the age of five entering the country by bus or by foot. Screening at the Wagah Border will continue for four months. India is one of four countries that still has not eradicated polio.

One polio case was reported this year from West Bengal. No cases have been reported from UP and Bihar - the traditional hotspots. Indians authorities have become alert because of an infectious strain of polio in Pakistan. This year alone, Pakistan has registered 84 new cases of Polio - 83 are of the more dangerous. According to a statement issued by the UNICEF, "India is surrounded by countries that still have polio virus transmission.

Afghanistan and Pakistan have never stopped polio virus transmission. They currently have upgrades of polio virus and just last week, virus from Pakistan re-infected China." The Union Health Ministry has now issued an alarm along the Wagah Border, in Punjab, Indian-held J&K, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The warning comes after China confirmed that polio re-entered its territory after 10 years. Four infants in China have been infected from the polio virus transmitted from Pakistan, media reports said.