Please find attached this week's global update slides as well as the weekly summary. |
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Poliovirus Weekly Update |
26-Sep-2018, World Health Organization |
Please scroll to the end for a summary of officially reported cases. |
New wild poliovirus cases reported this week: 0 |
Total number of wild poliovirus cases in 2018: 18 |
Total number of wild poliovirus cases in 2017: 22 |
New cVDPV cases reported this week: 10 |
Total number of cVDPV cases (all types) in 2018: 53 |
Total number of cVDPV cases (all types) in 2017: 96 |
Headlines
- Two cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) are reported from Niger, linked to an ongoing cVDPV2 outbreak in neighbouring Nigeria. See ‘Lake Chad Basin’ section below for more details.
- Featured on www.polioeradication.org: Coffee with Polio Experts – Head of WHO Chad Dr Jean-Bosco Ndihokubwayo speaks about the ongoing efforts to reach every child with polio vaccine across Chad.
- Summary of newly-reported viruses this week: Afghanistan - two new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) positive environmental samples; Pakistan – five new WPV1-positive environmental samples; Nigeria – three cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) and two cVDPV2-positive environmental samples; Niger - two cVDPV2 cases; Horn of Africa (Somalia) - three cVDPV3 cases and one cVDPV3 positive environmental sample; and, Papua New Guinea - two new cVDPV1 cases. See country sections below for more details.
Afghanistan
- No new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were reported in the past week. The total number of WPV1 cases in 2018 remains 14.
- Two new WPV1-positive environmental samples were reported in the past week, from Kandahar province, collected on 28 August.
- 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 in the past week. The total number of WPV1 cases in 2018 remains four.
- Five new WPV1-positive environmental samples were reported in the past week, from Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), collected in August and September.
- Read the latest polio update from Pakistan to see information on cases, surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
Nigeria
- Three new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases were reported this week, bringing the total number of cVDPV2 cases in 2018 to eleven.
- These latest reported cases all had onset of paralysis in August, from Katsina and Borno states, linked to the cVDPV2 outbreak centred around Jigawa.
- Additionally, two new cVDPV2-environmental positive samples were reported in the past week, from Yobe state, collected on 7 and 18 August.
- No new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were reported. The most recently-detected WPV1 case, from Borno state, had onset of paralysis on 21 August 2016.
- The country continues to be affected by two separate cVDPV2 outbreaks, the first centered in Jigawa state, and the second in Sokoto state.
- In response to cVDPV2 detection, the country continues to conduct 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 is 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.
- At the same time, outbreak response to WPV1 continues, including efforts to address surveillance and immunity gaps in parts of Borno state.
- Read our Nigeria country page to see information on surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
Lake Chad Basin
- Two cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) are reported from Niger, genetically linked to a cVDPV2 in Jigawa, Nigeria. The two cases are from Zinder province, Niger, with dates of onset of paralysis on 18 July and 8 August. Nigeria is also affected by a separate cVDPV2, centred around Sokoto state.
- Since detection of the initial isolates in early 2018, outbreak response continues to be conducted across northern Nigeria. As the risk of potential international spread, in particular to Niger, is considered high, enhanced vaccination activities continue to be implemented in Niger. An outbreak response is now being planned, including with monovalent oral polio vaccine type 2 (mOPV2). The exact scale and extent of the response is being determined.
- WHO and its partners are continuing to support local public health authorities in conducting field investigation and risk assessment to more clearly assess risk of the identified cVDPV2 and to conduct additional response measures as appropriate and necessary. Active searches for additional AFP cases is continuing, and additional surveillance measures such as increasing the frequency and extent of environmental surveillance and community sampling of healthy individuals is being expanded.
- The detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) and 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 in the region.
- These include efforts to vaccinate children at markets, in internally displaced persons and refugee camps, and at international borders.
- Preparations continue for a cross-border synchronized immunization activity in October.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo)
- No new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were reported in the past week.
- DR Congo is affected by three separate strains of cVDPV2, in the provinces of Mongala, Maniema and Haut Lomami/Tanganika/Haut Katanga/Ituri.
- In response to recent geographic spread of one of the strains, including to Ituri province close to the border with Uganda, provincial governors on 26 July convened an urgent meeting and signed the ‘Kinshasa Declaration for Polio Eradication’. The high-level meeting was convened by HE the Minister of Health, as well as the WHO Director-General and the Regional Director for Africa. Provincial governors committed to providing the necessary oversight, accountability and resources needed to urgently improve the quality of the outbreak response being implemented across the country. Outbreak response since cVDPV was first confirmed in 2017 has been marred by operational challenges, as too many children continue to remain un- or under-vaccinated. This level of oversight can help ensure that operational deficits are rapidly identified and addressed.
- The polio outbreak response is being conducted simultaneously to an ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting North Kivu province, in the east of the country (close to provinces affected by cVDPV2). As in the past, the polio teams are coordinating closely with the broader humanitarian emergency network, to ensure both outbreaks are addressed in a coordinated manner (as was the case during the recent Ebola outbreak in Equateur province, which was successfully stopped).
- Partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative will continue to support authorities across the country, to ensure that this new level of commitment rapidly translates into operational improvements on the ground.
- 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 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) and type 3 (cVDPV3), reporting both cases and environmental positives.
- Three new cases of cVDPV3 were reported in the past week, as well as one cVDPV3 positive environmental sample, from Lower Juba, Middle Shabelle and Banadir, Somalia.
- Outbreak response to both virus types 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.
Papua New Guinea
- Two new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) were reported in the past week, bringing the total number of cases in 2018 to 14. These latest reported cases are from Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands provinces, and had onset of paralysis on 13 August and 16 June, respectively.
- It is important to note that detection and reporting of new cases at this point in the outbreak response is not unusual or unexpected, as surveillance is being strengthened, and reported and confirmed cases had onset of paralysis prior to the commencement of comprehensive outbreak response.
- Read our Papua New Guinea country page to see information on surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
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 of paralysis) was reported in Boukamal district, with onset on 21 September 2017.
- Read the latest polio update from Syria to see information on cases, surveillance and vaccination campaigns.
Officially reported wild poliovirus cases as of 25 Sep 2018 |
Total global cases in 2018: 18 (compared with 11 for the same period in 2017) |
Total in endemic countries in 2018: 18 (compared with 11 for the same period in 2017) |
Total in non-endemic countries in 2018: 0 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017) |
· Afghanistan: 14 cases in 2018 (compared with 6 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 11-Aug-18 |
· Pakistan: 4 cases in 2018 (compared with 5 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 01-Aug-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 25 Sep 2018 |
Total global cases in 2018: 53 (compared with 49 for the same period in 2017) |
· Syrian Arab Republic: 0 case in 2018 (compared with 40 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 21-Sep-17 |
· Democratic Republic of the Congo: 15 cases in 2018 (compared with 9 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 05-Aug-18 |
· Nigeria: 11 cases in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 25-Aug-18 |
· Somalia (type 2 and type 3): 11 cases (1cVDPV2 and 1 cVDPV3 isolated from the same child) in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 30-Jul-18 |
· Papua New Guinea (type 1): 14 cases in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 2017), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 13-Aug-18 |
· Niger: 2 cases in 2018 (compared with 0 for the same period in 0), onset of paralysis of most recent case: 08-Aug-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. |