40 Countries Recently Detected Poliovirus
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced endemic transmission of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) continues only in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
As of May 12, 2023, the CDC reported Malawi and Mozambique confirmed WPV1 cases linked to a Pakistan strain in 2022.
These cases are the first WPV1 cases in the African region since 2016.
During the last week, these countries reported polio findings:
- Pakistan: two WPV1-positive environmental samples
- Chad: one cVDPV2 case
- DR Congo: six cVDPV2 cases
- Madagascar: 17 cVDPV1 positive environmental samples
- Nigeria: three cVDPV2 cases and two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
- Somalia: one cVDPV2 case
Furthermore, the total number of samples collected in countries with poliovirus transmission increased from 8,945 in 36 countries in 2021 to 12,259 samples from 40 countries in 2022.
The detections of poliovirus in areas where it had been previously eliminated, such as New York, underscore the threat of continued poliovirus spreading to any place where the population is insufficiently vaccinated against it, wrote the CDC.
The CDC reissued an Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions regarding polio outbreaks to notify international travelers of this health risk.
Various polio vaccines are available globally and in the U.S. at clinics and community pharmacies.
