End Polio Campaign – August Update

Good news, 11 August marked one full year without a case of wild poliovirus confirmed on the African continent for the first time in history. Six weeks are required for all remaining samples in the laboratory to be processed and confirmed negative for poliovirus before there can be more confidence in a polio-free year in Africa. To end polio for good worldwide, there is much still to be done: surveillance needs to be strengthened so that we are sure no virus continues to circulate undetected; every last child needs to be reached with polio vaccines; momentum must be maintained in Africa, and transmission must be stopped in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Last week the emergency committee of the International Health Regulations (IHR) met for the sixth time to assess whether the international spread of polio continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Their findings and recommendations will be published in the coming week

Wild poliovirus type 1 and Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus cases

Total cases Year-to-date 2015 Year-to-date 2014 Total in 2014
WPV cVDPV WPV cVDPV WPV cVDPV
Globally 36 10 138 31 359 55
– in endemic countries 36 1 121 31 340  52
– in non-endemic countries 0 9 17  0 19  3