British authorities say the polio virus was found in several sewage samples in the capital London, the first indication since the 1980s that the virus may have spread to the country.

Authorities have not identified a single case of the virus infection, which actually paralyzes children in less than one percent of cases. The National Health Service said the risk of spreading the virus was low due to the high vaccination rate.

But authorities have urged parents to vaccinate their children after the virus is detected during regular sewage tests, especially children who may have missed doses during the lockdown due to the Covid pandemic. -19.

National vaccination rates exceed the 90 per cent needed to prevent an outbreak, but vaccination rates in London for children under 12 have dropped to that level in recent years.

In the past, this disease has killed or paralyzed thousands of children around the world. There is no cure yet, but thanks to vaccination, the world is on the brink of eradicating the most common type of disease.

The disease is spreading to countries like Nigeria and Yemen.

The last case of polio in the UK was in 1984.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization was working with the United Kingdom to determine the necessary response procedures.

“Monitoring, vaccination and investment in polio eradication is critical,” he tweeted.