A rise in polio cases in Western countries has put the virus, which was eradicated in Canada nearly 30 years ago, back on the radar of health officials.

“It was never fully eradicated in countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, and periodically there are parts of the world where if there was a disruption of their vaccine campaign, like a war, there might be local outbreaks,” Dawn Bowdish, professor of pathology and molecular medicine, told the Toronto Star.

Polio cases in Western nations are likely from imported cases of unvaccinated individuals visiting countries where polio has yet to be eradicated, she explained.

The Public Health Agency of Canada will be testing wastewater across the country for any indication of the virus.

“It’s not totally unexpected to occasionally find this in the wastewater, but where it’s increasingly concerning now is because of the COVID pandemic and public resistance to vaccination … there are going to be some people who are unprotected,” she said.

According to Bowdish, because most Canadians are vaccinated against polio, there is a strong protection against the virus, she said.

Officials should focus on ensuring everyone is getting their routine vaccinations.

“We want to make sure we really focus on the very young and anyone who’s been missed for any reason,” she says.