Hundreds May Have Polio, New York Health Officials Say

The New York's Department of Health said in a statement that hundreds of people may have the disease.

According to the statement, New Yorkers should be aware that there may be hundreds of other people who have been exposed to the disease. The Department is looking at the single case of the disease as just the beginning of a larger spread.

Seven positive samples were found in the wastewater supply in Rockland and Orange counties. According to the county's health department site, an initial case of the disease was identified in Rockland County in July and was probably the result of an overseas trip.

Unvaccinated residents are being encouraged to get tested.

People who are pregnant and unvaccinated are urged to get the vaccine. Unvaccinated people who travel to Rockland or Orange Counties have the highest risk of getting sick, according to officials. The disease can remain in a person's body for weeks before it causes illness or death.

Almost 60,000 children were affected by the disease in 1952. According to NPR, thousands of people died and many were left paralyzed for life. Bill Gates had a dream that the world would see its last case of the disease in the near future.

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