Wild Poliovirus Detected in Sewage System of Hamburg, Germany

Hamburg: Authorities in Germany have confirmed the presence of wild poliovirus in the sewage system of the northern city of Hamburg.

According to German officials, environmental surveillance detected traces of the virus in wastewater samples, prompting health experts to accelerate the collection and testing of additional samples.

The German Ministry of Health stated that no polio cases have been reported so far. The last detected case of wild poliovirus in Germany occurred 30 years ago.

According to news agencies, Germany began routine environmental sampling for poliovirus in 2021 as part of global efforts to monitor and prevent potential outbreaks.