The World Health Organization has declared an emergency on international health after polio has spread in three continents.

Two years ago, the paralyzing virus was thought to be almost completely eliminated.

The emerging virus has once again spread in different zones causing an emergency meeting by a WHO committee.

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During the meeting in Geneva, the organization said that three countries including Cameroon, Syria and Pakistan were inflicted with the spreading of the virus.

WHO said that these countries should ensure that the children are immunized against polio.  If they have been immunized they should have them re-immunized since the virus has been reported to be on the loose once again.

The international health group also said that the three countries listed should take extraordinary measures to fight polio.

Meanwhile, the WHO official who is in charge of the polio elimination, Dr. Bruce Aylward, said in a phone interview that citizens of the three affected countries who are planning on a trip abroad should have a prior vaccine before departure. They should also show a credible certification that they are indeed vaccinated against polio which should also meet international standards.

The disease has commonly struck children who are below 6 years old. However, recent studies show that the spread of the virus has increased with contributions coming from travelers from Pakistan to Afghanistan, from Cameroon to Equatorial Guinea and from Syria to Iraq. This was announced by the WHO adding that the recent spread of polio is at its low season between January and April.

Dr. Aylward confirmed that there were already ten affected countries by the wild virus. Israel, Somalia, Nigeria and Ethiopia were also listed. Meanwhile, the case in Israel has not been confirmed for human cases of the virus.

The new wild virus has commenced in Pakistan which was detected to have originated in the sewage system of the country.

The WHO recorded 417 new polio cases around the world last year which was higher compared to the 223 cases listed in 2012. The 2013 cases were said to have been coming from regions which were previously declared free of polio.

The cause of the reoccurrence of the virus has been identified saying that the interruption of immunization programs might have sparked the outbreak.

The virus has reappeared in Iraq after 14 years despite immunization efforts done in the Middle East.

TagsPolio, International Health Emergency