As per latest reports of the National Polio Surveillance Project, 11 new polio cases have been reported in UP in the last one week. As all the cases are of P3 polio virus, the Health department maintains that they will be controlled with just few rounds of Monovalent Oral Polio Vaccine-3 (MOPV3). But as previous vaccination rounds show, there is no control on the rising number of cases.

Most cases have been reported from western districts of the state, where incidence of P1 virus has been minimum this year.

Out of 201 polio cases reported in the state, 20 are of P1 strain virus, whereas 181 are of P3 strain.

Now, the Health department is busy finding ways to control the spread of virus; their latest endeavour is a ‘special P3 drive’.

Talking to The Indian Express, Dr L B Prasad, Director General Medical and Health said, “We are aware of the fast-spreading P3 virus in the state. Therefore, we have decided to launch a special polio drive this month.”

The drive, to be organised on October 7, will aim at 24 districts of the state, which are affected by the P3 virus.