Four wastewater samples collected in Sullivan County in July and August contained the polio virus as officials urge people who are not vaccinated for the virus to do so, state health officials on Friday said. 

The samples are linked to a paralytic case of polio previously found in an unvaccinated individual in Rockland County, the state Department of Health said. 

“One New Yorker paralyzed by polio is already too many, and I do not want to see another paralytic case,” State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “The polio in New York today is an imminent threat to all adults and children who are unvaccinated or not up to date with their polio immunizations. Every New Yorker, parent, guardian, and pediatrician must do everything possible to ensure they, their children, and their patients are protected against this dangerous, debilitating disease through safe and effective vaccination.” 

Previously, health officials had detected polio in wastewater in Rockland, Orange and New York City. The samples provided additional evidence of local transmission of polio that can cause paralysis for infected people. 

New York and Rockland County health officials in July announced the first confirmed case of polio in the United States since 2013 and launched a wastewater analysis soon after.