Sewage checks will be taking place in the North East to see if the polio virus is spreading to the region.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says the virus was found in sewage samples collected from the London Beckton Sewage Treatment Works, which covers parts of North and East London. Now, working with the Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency (MHRA), they are expanding the surveillance to a number of areas outside the capital, including parts of Tyneside.
The UKHSA says this is happening "on a precautionary basis to determine whether the virus is spreading to other areas". To date, sewage sampling has been conducted in London and Glasgow, and no polio virus has been detected in Glasgow.
