Worldwide Polio update

Following, a summary of the latest worldwide update on polio cases:


• In 2009 to date, 394 type-1 (WPV1) polio cases have been reported globally, compared with 818 at the same time last year - a 52% decline. In endemic countries the comparison is more pronounced, with 184 WPV1 cases reported compared with 787 WPV1 at this time last year - a 77% decline. WPV1 is the most dangerous strain of wild poliovirus, due to its higher paralytic attack rate and propensity for geographical spread.

• Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari named his daughter Aseefa - the first child immunized in the polio eradication effort by her mother, the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto - as Polio Ambassador in Pakistan while launching this week's Nationwide Immunization Days (NIDs).

• Pakistan has been rocked by four serious security incidents this week - including an attack on the United Nations World Food Programme offices in Islamabad. However, despite the instability, the North West Frontier Province polio team estimates that only 8.7% of children under five would be "inaccessible" this round.

Afghanistan

• One new case was reported in the past week, a wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) case from Kandahar. This is Afghanistan's most recent case, with onset of paralysis on 20 September. The total number of cases for 2009 is 23.



India

• 36 new cases were reported in the past week (five WPV1 cases and 31 WPV3 cases), bringing the total number of cases for 2009 to 431. The WPV1s were in Samastipur and Begusarai, Bihar, Agra and Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and Jalandhar, Punjab. The most recent case (WPV3 from west UP) was reported on 23 September

Nigeria

o No new cases were reported in the past week, meaning the total number of cases remains 382. The most recent case (WPV3 in Sokoto) had onset of paralysis on 30 August. For the second time in five weeks, Nigeria reported zero cases of wild poliovirus (WPV). In the past five weeks, Nigeria has recorded four WPV cases, with this ongoing fall in polio cases validating reports of significant improvements in the quality of immunization campaigns.

Pakistan

o No new cases were reported in the past week. The total number of cases for 2009 remains 62. The most recent case had onset of paralysis on 14 September (WPV3 from Quetta, Balochistan).