🌎 We commend the United States for its swift public health response. Disease surveillance has been intensified. Polio immunization campaigns are targeting those who may not have received a complete vaccination series against polio. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 Polio is not a treatable disease. Prevention is the only option. And prevention is only possible with vaccines 🩹.
As we saw in New York State, polioviruses can appear and spread quickly and quietly in communities with insufficient vaccine coverage. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 And last week, the virus 🦠 was indeed found to be circulating through these communities, officially constituting an outbreak in the region. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 In July, an unvaccinated man was reported paralyzed by poliovirus in the US.
In the weeks since, polio was found in wastewater samples in several counties, including New York City, triggering a disaster declaration from the Governor of the State of New York. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 Countries must act now to control the spread of monkeypox.
Active engagement of affected communities, testing, and contact tracing can all have a significant impact in reducing transmission 🦠. Especially while vaccine supplies remain very limited. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 Beyond COVID-19, monkeypox cases are still rising in parts of our region.
Even if transmission has slowly declined over the past two weeks in the United States, Canada, & Brazil, other countries with large metropolitan populations are seeing an increase in cases. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 Member States must act wisely and continue to promote vaccination in places where many remain unvaccinated, or where cases are climbing and continue to track and report both COVID-19 cases and vaccination progress 📊. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 If we remain committed, we can keep COVID-19 under control.
Not by ignoring it, but by continuing to make use of the many tools we have at our disposal to trace, and most importantly prevent, infections. @DirOPSPAHO
🌎 The burden of COVID-19 on our region remains too high.
Nearly 1,000 days into the pandemic, we are losing over 4,000 people from COVID-19 🦠 across the Americas every week. We cannot accept this as the new normal.
🌎 Before I begin, let me please express my sadness around the devastation brought on by #HurricaneFiona to the people of Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
🔸 PAHO stands ready to support you.
