First Polio Case in Malaysia in 27 Years

Malaysia registered the first case of polio in 27 years, the France Press reported, citing the Malaysian Ministry of Health.

A three-month-old baby, originally from the city of Tuaran in Malaysia's Sabah state on Borneo island, was admitted to a hospital with symptoms of fever and muscle weakness on Friday, the ministry said. The baby is treated in "an isolation ward and is in stable condition, but still requires assistance to breathe," Noor Hisham Abdullah, Director General of Health said in a statement.

In 2000, Malaysia was declared polio-free. The last case of the disease was registered in 1992.

Public health expert T. Jayabalan told AFP he was not surprised by the case, as polio vaccine is not mandatory in Malaysia.

“This first case probably is the tip of the iceberg. There is a very high possibility of a rising trend,” he warned.