In a follow-up to a report earlier today, I reported on what I believed to be an erroneous story concerning polio cases reported in Russia and Tajikistan in news articles by several news agencies (see above link to regurgitated stories).

Now members of the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed what I said, the story is rehashed from 5 years ago.

Here is the posting on ProMED Mail (where they posted some info on the story, also questioning it) from the WHO:

Dear Sir/Madam, the Editor of ProMED,

Would you kindly note that the data regarding cases of polio in Russia (2) that you are currently posting from ProMED is 5 years out of date. The cases of wild poliovirus (WPV) in Tajikistan and the Russian Federation were reported in 2010. Multiple synchronized immunization activities were successful in stopping transmission in 2010 and ending the outbreak that affected Tajikistan, Russian Federation, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

That said, would you urgently remove this posting from ProMED, as it is incorrect and will indeed prompt inappropriate media coverage and enquiry?

WHO and other Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) are concerned that this news item will cause particular concern now that the world is so close to achieving polio eradication.

We are aware of several media articles published Fri 11 Dec 2015 claiming “new” polio cases in 2 children from Tajikistan visiting the Russian Federation. All these articles date back to 2010, and have just re-surfaced now, for reasons unknown to WHO.

We trust that you will take this appropriate action as soon as possible.