By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

Pakistan

Pakistan reported an additional two wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases during the past week, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Both of the cases were reported from Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This brings the total WPV1 cases in Pakistan to 82 this year and 102 total in endemic countries.

This is up from twelve cases reported in Pakistan in all of 2018.

According to a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) today, the current status of polio eradication in Pakistan has serious global implications: the increased risk for WPV1 spreading beyond Pakistan’s borders is high; if transmission in Pakistan is not quickly controlled and back on track toward interruption.

The Pakistan program’s failure in progress toward polio eradication is related to both community and program management challenges. Community challenges are increasingly strident refusals to vaccinate and children chronically missed by immunization activities.

In addition, WPV1 has been widely detected in sewage across Pakistan.


The Philippines

Earlier this month, the Philippines reported the 4th confirmed poliovirus type 2 case is a three year old female from Maguindanao. Virus was found to be genetically linked to other 2 cases from Mindanao.

Outbreak immunization for 18,268 children 0-59 months in the area was conducted on 4-8 November: 16,295 children (89.2%) vaccinated thus far.

Synchronized polio vaccination campaigns on 14-27 October covered 1,628,717 children under 5: 95.5% of the target. Preparations ongoing for the next round on 25 November-7 December in National Capital Region (NCR) and all provinces of Mindanao targeting 4,388,281 children 0-59 months.