The number of wild poliovirus (WPV) cases reported in 2017 remains down compared to last year, particularly in Pakistan where only five wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases have been reported year-to-date, compared to 15 during the same period last year.

Image/CIA
Image/CIA

In Afghanistan, an addition WPV1 case was reported in Batikot district in Nangarhar province. Paralysis onset was on the 15 September 2017. This raises the total number of WPV1 cases in 2017 to seven in Afghanistan, and twelve worldwide. The case occurred in a child aged 15 months, who had received one dose of IPV previously.

In Syria, four new type 2 circulating vaccine-derived polio (cVDPV2) cases have been reported this week.  Three of the cases were reported in Mayadeen district, Deir Ez-Zor governorate, with onset 12 August, 22 August, and 25 August. The other case was reported in Boukamal district, Deir Ez-Zor governorate, with onset 22 August.

This increases the current number of cases in this outbreak to 52 with the bulk of all cases continue to be from two districts in Deir Ez-Zor governorate; Mayadeen (42) and Boukamal (6).

Related: Syria: Additional cVDPV2 case reported, Vaccines destroyed

In Pakistan, three new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) positive environmental samples were reported in the last week. Two samples were collected on 2 October, and are from Balochistan province, one from Kabdullah district, and another from Pishin district. The third sample was collected on 3 October, and is from Sindh province, Karachi Orangi district.

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