Headlines Afghanistan - Following advance notification last week, one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case in Chawkay district, Kunar province, has been confirmed. The case had onset of paralysis on 22 June.
- This brings the total number of WPV1 cases in Afghanistan in 2018 to ten.
- Five new WPV1 positive environmental samples were reported in the past week. Two samples were collected in Kabul province on 26 June, two samples were collected in Kandahar province, one on 26 June and one on 5 July, and one sample was collected in Nangarhar province, on 26 June.
- Preparations for the August national immunization activity are underway.
- Read the latest polio update from Afghanistan to see information on cases, surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
Pakistan
- No new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were reported this week.
- The total number of officially reported WPV1 cases in Pakistan in 2018 is three.
- The latest case had onset of paralysis on 18 May, from Dukki district, Balochistan province.
- Three new WPV1 positive environmental samples were reported in the past week. All samples were collected on 10 July, one in Islamabad province, one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and one in Punjab province.
- Read the latest polio update from Pakistan to see information on cases, surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
Nigeria
- No new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were reported in the past week.
- Four WPV1 cases were reported in Nigeria in 2016 and no cases have been reported in 2017 or 2018. The most recent WPV1 case (by date of onset) was reported in Monguno Local Government Area, Borno State, with onset on 21 August 2016.
- Since confirmation of cVDPV2 in Nigeria, virus has been isolated from environmental samples and two cases with onset of paralysis on 15 April and 16 June. The most recent case was detected in Geidam LGA in Yobe State.
- Two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples detected in Sokoto State have been confirmed, following advance notification last week. The samples were collected on 5 June and 12 June.
- In response to cVDPV2 detection, the country has conducted additional acute flaccid paralysis surveillance strengthening activities including enhanced active surveillance visits and community sampling. The programme has also carried out an extensive search for type 2 containing vaccines (tOPV/mOPV2) in the areas surrounding where the virus was detected.
- The GPEI is working with regional and country counterparts and partners to support an outbreak response and plan the October sub-national immunization activity.
- Read our Nigeria country page to see information on surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
Lake Chad Basin
- The detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in Nigeria continue to pose a risk to the neighbouring countries of the Lake Chad basin.
- Emergency outbreak response efforts continue across the Lake Chad basin, together with activities to fill subnational surveillance gaps across the region.
- These include efforts to vaccinate children at markets, in internally displaced persons and refugee camps, and at international borders.
- Preparations continue for the cross-border synchronized immunization activity in October.
Central Africa - No new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were reported in the past week in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
- The country is affected by three separate strains of cVDPV2, in the provinces of Mongola, Maniema and Haut Lomami/Tanganika/Haut Katanga/Ituri.
- The total number of cVDPV2 cases reported in the DRC in 2018 is seven.
- The geographic extent of the outbreak response to all three strains is being re-evaluated, given the confirmed spread of one of the strains to Ituri and confirmation of the third strain in Mongola. The risk of further spread is magnified given the proximity of Ituri to Uganda, and known population movements between affected areas.
- The Ministry of Health, supported by WHO and partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, remains fully committed to outbreak response in the affected provinces, including use of monovalent oral polio vaccine type 2 (mOPV2) across the country, in line with internationally-agreed outbreak response protocols.
- Read our Democratic Republic of the Congo country page to see information on surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
- Learn more about vaccine-derived polioviruses through this short animation or this ‘Coffee with Polio Experts’ video.
Horn of Africa
- The Horn of Africa is currently affected by separate outbreaks of cVDPV2 and cVDPV3, reporting both cases and environmental positives.
- Somalia is reporting a total of four cases (with a total of 5 viruses) in 2018: one cVDPV type 2, two cVDPV type 3 and one case with both cVDPV type 2 & type 3, with date of onset of the most recent case on 26 May 2018.
- Outbreak response to both strains is currently being implemented in line with internationally-agreed guidelines. Large-scale supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) have been implemented in Banadir, Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle regions, Somalia, with additional SIAs planned or carried out in the affected zones of the Horn of Africa. Special surveillance activities are being undertaken to determine the origin of the viral circulation.
- WHO and partners continue to support local public health authorities across the Horn of Africa in conducting field investigations and risk assessments.
- Read our Somalia country page and Kenya country page to see information on surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
- Learn more about vaccine-derived polioviruses through this short animation or this ‘Coffee with Polio Experts’ video.
Middle East - No new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were reported in the past week in Syria.
- The total number of officially reported cVDPV2 cases in Syria in 2017 remains 74. There are no cases reported in 2018.
- The most recent case (by date of onset) was reported in Boukamal district, with onset on 21 September 2017.
- In an effort to heighten population immunity against type-2 among high risk populations, more than
5 000 children aged 2-23 months have received inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in newly accessible areas of eastern Ghouta. In addition, a total of 33 836 children under 5 years of age have received bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV). 23 vaccination teams were deployed between March and May 2018 through fixed centres and mobile clinics that also provided other routine immunization. - WHO has supported further upgrades to the Syrian National Polio Laboratory, to improve poliovirus diagnostic capacity. Seven national technical staff were trained on intratypic differentiation of poliovirus samples, which will allow for more comprehensive testing and faster identification of results.
- All empty and expired unopened vials of monovalent oral polio vaccine type-2 (mOPV2) have been destroyed according to global guidelines, under the direct supervision of WHO staff in country.
- Read the latest polio update from Syria to see information on cases, surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
- Learn more about vaccine-derived polioviruses through this short animation or this ‘Coffee with Polio Experts’ video.
Papua New Guinea - Papua New Guinea officially launched the outbreak response campaign on 16 July in Morobe, Madang and Eastern Highlands provinces. Three more campaigns are planned for August, September and October.
- This is in response to one case of cVDPV1 and two cVDPV1 community contacts reported in Lae, Morobe province. The case had onset of paralysis on 24 April 2018.
- On 26 June, the Papua New Guinea Government declared the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) outbreak in Morobe province a National Public Health Emergency.
- The National Department of Health (NDOH) is closely working with GPEI partners to launch a comprehensive response. The NDOH activated the National Emergency Operations Centre for the polio outbreak on 27 June 2018.
- Mop-up vaccination has taken place in Morobe and Eastern Highlands provinces with bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV).
- Intensified surveillance measures to improve detection of acute flaccid paralysis and poliovirus are being implemented in six provinces and the National Capital District, with on-the-ground training for provincial and district staff being provided by NDOH and WHO.
- Read our Papua New Guinea country page to see information on surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
Officially reported wild poliovirus cases as of 24 Jul 2018
Total global cases in 2018: 13 (compared with 8 for the same period in 2017)
Total in endemic countries in 2018: 13 (compared with 8 for the same period in 2017)
Total in non-endemic countries in 2018: 0 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017)
· Afghanistan: 10 cases in 2018 (compared with 5 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 22-Jun-18
· Pakistan: 3 cases in 2018 (compared with 3 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 18-May-18
· Nigeria: 0 case in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 21-Aug-16 · Total global cases in 2017: 22
· Total in endemic countries: 22
· Total in non-endemic countries: 0
Please refer to the attached weekly global update for country-level details of 2017 cases. Officially reported cVDPV cases as of 24 Jul 2018
Total global cases in 2018: 15 (compared with 33 for the same period in 2017)
· Syrian Arab Republic: 0 case in 2018 (compared with 27 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 21-Sep-17
· Democratic Republic of the Congo: 7 cases in 2018 (compared with 6 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 14-May-18
· Nigeria: 2 cases in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 16-Jun-18
· Somalia (type 2 and type 3): 5 cases (1cVDPV type 2 and type 3 isolated from the same child) in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017),
onset of paralysis of most recent case: 26-May-18
· Papua New Guinea (type 1): 1 case in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 25-Apr-18 · Total global cases in 2017: 96
· Total in endemic countries: 0
· Total in non-endemic countries: 96
Please refer to the attached weekly global update for country-level details of 2017 cases. |