Dear Polio Eradication Warriors,Two new Wild Polio paralysis cases reported last week. We are now 3 weeks since the most recent report of a child being paralyzed by the Wild Polio Virus in Pakistan.
Surveillance - Polio surveillance underpins the entire polio eradication initiative. Without surveillance, it would be impossible to pinpoint where and how poliovirus is still circulating. Polio surveillance identifies new cases and detects any circulation of poliovirus.
Europe - Recent detections of poliovirus in wastewater systems across five countries in the WHO European Region underscore the critical importance of maintaining high vaccination rates and robust surveillance. While no cases of paralysis have been reported, the presence of the virus in places long polio-free including Finland, Germany, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing risk polio poses to children everywhere, as long as it exists anywhere. Continued vigilance and strengthened immunization efforts are needed to ensure any further transmission is put to a stop.
2024 Wild Polio Case Total 93 - Afghanistan 25 - Pakistan 68
2023 Wild Polio Case Total 12 - Afghanistan 6, Pakistan 6
