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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Wild poliovirus in the Horn of Africa – update

From WHO :

Three suspected cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) from South Sudan are currently being investigated. All three patients are girls, two of whom are approximately two-years-old and one is eight-years-old. All had previously been immunized with oral polio vaccine (OPV).

Two of the patients are from North Bahr El Gazal state (close to the border with Sudan), and one is from Eastern Equatoria state (close to the border with Kenya and Uganda). They developed paralysis between 15-24 August 2013. Genetic sequencing is ongoing to provide final confirmation of the laboratory results to determine the origin of the isolated viruses.
The Horn of Africa is currently experiencing an outbreak of WPV1, with 191 cases in Somalia, 14 cases in Kenya and three cases in Ethiopia. Because of the routes of poliovirus spread in previous Horn of Africa outbreaks, South Sudan had been considered at high risk of re-infection. In 2013, South Sudan conducted two National Immunization Days (NIDs) in March 2013 and April 2013, with additional NIDs planned for November 2013 and December 2013. Subnational Immunization Days (SNIDs) were conducted in August 2013."

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