World News for Students of English

27-10-2022 07:00

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by one of three polio virus types.

The virus reproduces in the human gastrointestinal tract. Infected people spread the virus in their feces; therefore, the virus spreads easily in areas without good sanitation and hygiene.

For years, humans have been close to eradicating polio; however, it’s very difficult because fewer than one in 100 infected people show signs of illness or are aware or the infection. They unintentionally give the virus to others.

A combination of old and new challenges is setting back the global fight. They include the war in Ukraine, floods in Pakistan, vaccine worries, and the COVID-19 pandemic. New polio outbreaks happened in Africa, and the disease paralyzed a man in the US.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged 1.2 billion dollars to eradicate the disease, and humans hope that we will stop all polio by the end of 2023.

Difficult words: gastrointestinal tract (the area of the body where you digest food), sanitation (service to keep clean and healthy), eradicate (to get rid of something completely).

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