Spread of polio polio is increasing

WHO warns against the spread of polio

05/05/2014

The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened an emergency committee in the face of the resurgent spread of polio infections. „The conditions for an emergency of international concern (health crisis of international proportions)“were fulfilled, according to the WHO communication. Actually, the international community had set itself the goal of complete eradication of poliomyelitis (polio) by 2018. But the current development is going in a completely different direction.

The growing prevalence of wild poliovirus is increasingly worrying for WHO experts. This year there has already been a cross-border spread of poliovirus in three countries: Central Asia (from Pakistan to Afghanistan), the Middle East (from Syria to Iraq) and Central Africa (from Cameroon to Equatorial Guinea) Communication from WHO. The international spread of polio, which has been recorded to date in 2014, is one „extraordinary event“ and „a health hazard for other states.“ According to the World Health Organization, a coordinated international response is needed to reach the goal of eradicating polio by 2018.

Polio in ten countries worldwide
According to the WHO, there are currently polio infections in ten countries worldwide: Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Cameroon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria. The current spread stands „in sharp contrast to the international spread of wild poliovirus from January to April in 2012 and 2013.“ Since 1988, when a WHO international immunization program was launched, the prevalence of polio has been steadily declining and eradication over the next five years has seemed realistic. By 2012, the number of worldwide infections had fallen by 99 percent. This trend is now broken.

Further increase in polio infections fears
According to the WHO, the greatest danger of exporting wild poliovirus is from Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria. The risk of new polio wild virus exports from Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Somalia and Nigeria remains high. Comprehensive action at national and international level is needed to prevent a more dramatic increase in infections during seasonal transmission in May-June 2014. A review of the implementation of the WHO recommendations and a reassessment of the situation should take place in three months. (Fp)