News
Polio: Public Health Emergency of International Concern
An update on the polio Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio: Public Health Emergency of International Concern
An update on the polio Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio vaccination recommendations update
Polio vaccination is recommended for some travellers to affected areas based on travel plans and medical history
US New York state: Polio case and Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus 2 (cVDPV2) in sewage samples
A reminder of the importance of being up to date with the UK vaccination schedule
Detection of circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus 2 in London sewage samples
A reminder of the importance of being up to date with the UK vaccination schedule
Factsheets
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a potentially paralysing viral infection that only occurs in humans
Polio vaccination certificate
How to complete an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) for polio
Topics
Polio
Poliomyelitis is a potentially paralysing, vaccine preventable, viral infection transmitted through food or water contaminated by infected human faeces or by direct contact with an infectious person
Outbreaks
cVDPV2 in Zimbabwe
As of 25 October 2023, four environmental samples of cVDPV2 have been reported in Harare.
cVDPV2 in Egypt
As of 27 September 2023, three circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) positive environmental samples were reported in North Sinai.
cVDPV2 in Guinea
As of 16 August 2023, one case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported in Kankan making it the first case this year and since 2021. The case is linked to the Zamfara emergence from Nigeria.
cVDPV2 in Tanzania
On 21 July 2023 one case of poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported, making it the first case in Tanzania.
cVDPV2 in Kenya
As of 13 July 2023, two confirmed cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported from the Hagadera refugee camp.
cVDPV2 in Burkina Faso
As of 5th July 2023, one case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported in Gaoua. There have been no cases reported since 2021.
VDPV1 in Peru
As of 21 March 2023, a confirmed case of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (VDPV1) has been reported.
Bujumbura Mairie
cVDPV2 in Burundi
As of 15 March 2023, one case of circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) was confirmed in Bujumbura Rural province, with onset of paralysis on 24 November 2022. Five cVDPV2-positive environmental samples were reported in the past week, from Bujumbura Mairie province, collected in November and December 2022. Viruses isolated are linked to eastern DRC's Sud-Kivu's emergence.
cVDPV2 in Israel
As of 11 March 2023, a case of acute flaccid paralysis reported in an unvaccinated child has been confirmed as circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). This is the first confirmed cVDPV2 case reported from Israel. The Israeli Ministry of Health has also reported that five asymptomatic contacts of the initial case have now tested positive for poliovirus.
cVDPV2 in Malawi
As of 1 March 2023, one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) positive environmental sample was detected in Central. It is the first positive environmental sample of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in the country.
cVDPV1 in Congo
As of 1 March 2023, it has been confirmed that one case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) was reported in Niari, detected in 2022. It is the first case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) in the country.
VDPV2 in USA
As of 6 January 2023, sequencing analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the presence of poliovirus in a total of 101 positive samples of concern, with the last two samples collected in December 2022. A total of 94 samples have been found to be genetically linked to the individual case of paralytic polio in a Rockland County resident.
VDPV2 in Canada
On 23 December 2022, the Canada IHR National Focal Point reported detection of vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (VDPV2) in two wastewater samples collected in August 2022 from a treatment plant and targeted sites in Canada. This followed the confirmation of a VDPV2 case in New York State, US. Sampling sites were chosen based on close connections with communities in New York and the US areas where VDPV2 was detected.
cVDPV2 in Sudan
One case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported this week, with onset of paralysis on 31 October 2022. The isolated virus is most closely related to a strain circulating in Borno, Nigeria, in 2021, and is unrelated to a cVDPV2 affecting Sudan in 2020 and which had been successfully confirmed as stopped this year.
VDPV3 in Netherlands
On 25 November 2022, the National Coordination Centre for Communicable Disease Control in the Netherlands reported the detection of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 3 (VDPV3) in a sewage sample from 15 November 2022. Testing indicated the presence of WPV3-Saukett G (a component of inactivated polio vaccine). Risk of transmission is considered very low as all appropriate measures have been implemented.
cVDPV2 in Indonesia
One case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported this week, with onset of paralysis on 9 October 2022. It is the first case reported from the country. Genetically-linked virus was also isolated from three healthy community contacts.
cVDPV2 in Zambia
As of 9 November 2022, one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported this week, from an environmental sample collected on 4 October 2022 from Copperbelt.
cVDPV2 in Botswana
As of 4 November 2022 one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been detected from an environmental sample collected on 4 October 2022. The isolated virus is most closely linked to a cVDPV2 last isolated from a case from Haut Lomami, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with an onset on 30 May 2022.
cVDPV1 in Malawi
As of 21 September 2022, two cases of circulating vaccine derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) have been confirmed. Making them the first in the country.
cVDPV1 in DRC
As of 14 September 2022, four cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) were confirmed, the first reported in the country. Outbreak response to both cVDPV1 and cVDPV2 is being intensified.
cVDPV2 in United Kingdom
As of 8 August 2022, vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (VDPV2) has been detected in sewage samples collected from London over the period of a few months. These samples have now been classified as ‘circulating’ (cVDPV2). As of 5 September 2022, no human case associated with VDPV2 has been reported in the United Kingdom. The population are advised to check their routine polio vaccinations are up-to-date.
cVDPV2 in Algeria
As of 13 July 2022, one case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been reported. This is the first case of cVDPV2 in the country and is linked to Zamfara emergence from Nigeria.
cVDPV2 in Ghana
As of 13 July 2022, one case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been reported. This is the first case of cVDPV2 in 2022.
cVDPV2 in Eritrea
On 3 June 2022, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been reported in a person with acute flaccid paralysis.
Polio in Mozambique
As of 18 May 2022, health authorities in Mozambique declared an outbreak of wild poliovirus type 1 after confirming that a child in the country’s north-eastern Tete province had contracted the disease.
cVDPV3 in Israel
As of 15 April 2022, a total of seven circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 3 (cVDPV3) positive results have been confirmed. This includes the index case and six asymptomatic children. One child has a history of incomplete polio immunisation, the other six are unvaccinated. An additional two children with cVDPV3 detection using in-house molecular techniques are awaiting further confirmation.
cVDPV3 in Palestinian Territories
Environmental samples collected between September 2021 and January 2022, have now been reclassified as circulating vaccine-derived polio virus type 3 (cVDPV3). This confirms an outbreak of cVDPV3 in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Poliomyelitis in Malawi
As of 17 February 2022, ongoing surveillance has confirmed a case of type 1 wild poliovirus (WPV1) in a child with onset of paralysis on 19 November 2021. The virus is genetically linked to WPV1 detected in Pakistan's Sindh province in October 2019.
Nampula
cVDPV2 in Mozambique
As of 18 February 2022, two cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported; one each in the provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado.
Djibouti
cVDPV2 in Djibouti
As of 2 February 2022, three circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 positive environmental samples were reported; one in Arta and two in Djibouti. The virus detected is linked to the virus circulating in Yemen.
cVDPV2 in Ukraine
On 24 January 2022, poliovirus type 2 was confirmed in a sample from an unvaccinated 2-year-old child. The child had signs of flaccid lower paraparesis (a neurological syndrome affecting the legs). This is the second confirmed case of circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 in the country.
Marib
cVDPV2 in Yemen
As of 24 November 2021, two cases of circulating vaccine derived polio type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported. These are the first cases of cVDPV2 in the country.
cVDPV2 in Kenya
On 6 October 2021, the Kenyan Ministry of Health was notified of a confirmed case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. This is the second case reported in 2021.
cVDPV2 in Guinea-Bissau
As of 26 October 2021, three cases of circulating vaccine derived polio type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported. These cases are linked to the Jigawa outbreak in Nigeria.
cVDPV2 in Ukraine
On 7 October 2021, a case of acute flaccid paralysis, caused by vaccine derived poliovirus type 2, was reported in a child in Rivne Oblast.
cVDPV2 in Mauritania
As of 2 September 2021, two environmental samples have tested positive for circulating vaccine derived polio type 2 (cVDPV2). The virus detected is linked to the Jigawa outbreak in Nigeria.
