An 18th confirmed case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) was reported this week in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative this week.
A circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case from Ankoro district, Tanganyika province, with onset of paralysis on 20 November 2017.
The total number of officially reported cVDPV2 cases in the DRC in 2017 is now 18. There are no cases reported in 2018.
Outbreak response continues to take place across the country, including use of monovalent oral polio vaccine type 2 (mOPV2) in line with internationally-agreed outbreak response protocols.
Vaccine-derived polioviruses Video
Children living in the districts where the latest cases were reported were last targeted with mOPV2 during December vaccination days.
The next set of supplementary immunization days are planned for late February.
Surveillance and immunization activities continue to be strengthened in neighbouring countries.
