Calcutta, April 3: The detection of polio virus in a Bangladeshi girl this January has made the Bengal health authorities sit up.

The virus strain, tests have concluded, was the same as one detected in Uttar Pradesh.

The last polio cases in Bengal were detected in 2004 ? in Maheshtala, South 24-Parganas, and Asansol, Burdwan.

“But tests showed that the genetic structure of the virus found in South 24-Parganas had similarities with that found in Bihar’s Champaran. In the Asansol case, the genetic structure resembled one found at Baduna in Uttar Pradesh,” said Deepankar Mukherjee, the regional co-ordinator of World Health Organisation (WHO), which is working with the Indian government to eradicate polio.

At least 15 polio cases were detected in Bihar’s Purnea, Araria and Katihar and Jharkhand’s Godda between January 2005 and January 2006.

“All these areas in Bihar and Jharkhand are within 20 km of Bengal. So, we have to be cautious? hundreds of people come to Bengal from UP, Bihar and Jharkhand in search of work,” a health official said.

On January 23, it was confirmed that the 10-year-old resident of Chandpur in Bangladesh was afflicted with polio. The previous case was detected in that country over five years ago.

“It was thought that the disease was eradicated in Bangladesh. So, we are worried,” said Mukherjee.

The genetic structure of the virus found in Bangladesh was examined at the Entero-Virus Research Centre in Mumbai, the only one of its kind in South Asia. It was the same as the strain found in Uttar Pradesh.

Bengal’s director of health services K.C. Barui said the pulse polio programme on April 9 will be closely monitored to ensure 100 per cent coverage.

“We are very worried over the development in Bangladesh. This time we are taking some extra care to ensure that the vaccine is administered to all children in the areas bordering Bihar and at railway stations,” he added.

The pulse polio drive will be a three-day affair from April 9 and vaccine booths would be set up at all major bus stops, taxi stands and railway stations.

The WHO warned the Bengal government earlier this month about the detection of polio in Bangladesh and submitted a report.

A meeting was held at MR Bangur Hospital early this week, where the programme for the coming pulse polio programme and the need to intensify it were discussed. Senior health department, WHO and Unicef officials and representatives of various NGOs that help the government implement the programme attended the meeting.