WARSAW, Poland — On Monday, health officials in Poland called for increased polio vaccinations among children following the detection of the virus in wastewater samples collected in Warsaw during routine testing earlier this month.

The Main Sanitary Inspectorate released a statement clarifying that the identification of the virus in the sewage does not imply that individuals are currently ill. However, they warned that those who have not received the polio vaccine may be at increased risk. In Poland, vaccinations for individuals under the age of 19 are provided at no cost.

In response to the findings, officials will ramp up testing of the sewage systems in Warsaw. The polio virus is typically transmitted through contact with the waste of an infected individual and, less commonly, through contaminated food or water.

Children under five years old are the most vulnerable to polio infection. While many individuals who contract the virus do not exhibit symptoms, severe cases can lead to the virus affecting the nervous system, resulting in paralysis within a matter of hours. According to estimates from the World Health Organization, approximately 1 in every 200 polio infections can lead to lasting paralysis, generally affecting the legs.

Currently, about 86% of Poland’s three-year-olds have received the polio vaccine, but health authorities stress that achieving at least 95% vaccination coverage among children is crucial to thwarting the virus’s spread. An increasing number of anti-vaccination sentiments among certain parental groups has raised concerns among health officials regarding potential outbreaks.

In the statement, officials noted that the last documented case of polio in Poland occurred in 1984.