Thai airways : Polio risk passengers contracted

Australian’s health authorities start an emergency immunisation programme yesterday for 100 airline passengers who shared a Thai Airways flight with a traveller diagnosed with polio.
A 22 years old man was found to have the disease soon after returning to Melbourne on a July 2 Thai Airways International flight TG999 from a vacation in Pakistan.
"We're being ultra-cautious here" declared Bram Alexander, a department spokesman. The infected passenger told officials that he had used the plane's toilets to urinate only” he added.
Victoria state's chief health officer John Carnie told to journalist : “We will be running an immunisation session. The general public should not be concerned by this diagnosis as the chances of anyone else being affected are very low". And he added : "When this student was taken ill, he remained at home, therefore limiting contact with anyone else".
Symptoms of polio include fever, muscle stiffness and vomiting. If the disease progresses, severe muscle pain and stiffness of the neck and back with flaccid paralysis can appear.
There is no specific treatment for polio, patients are kept in bed then given physiotherapy, the illness can cause permanent disability or death, but it has been largely eradicated by a vaccine programme,
According to the World Health Organisation Polio is endemic in only 4 countries in the world : Afghanistan, Nigeria, India, and Pakistan.
Anyone with any concerns must call the National Public Health Information line on 1800 004 599.