If you hadn't heard the news, there is a new wild polio case that has been detected in Malawi. The case was reported this week, but happened last November. This is the first wild polio case on the continent of Africa since 2016.
The DNA of the polio shows that it is genetically linked to the wild polio virus detected in Pakistan in October 2019. Since this is considered an importation case, it will not affect Africa's wild polio-free certification status. The polio eradication program has been stepped up in the area which will hopefully stop the transmission of the virus.
In other news - there was tragic news this week of 8 health workers that were killed in Afghanistan in the Takhar and Kunduz states in northeast Afghanistan. The vaccination campaign was suspended for now.
For those of you who like numbers:
Summary of new WPV and cVDPV this week (AFP cases and ES positives):
– DR Congo: two cVDPV2 cases
– Madagascar: two cVDPV1 cases and six cVDPV1 positive environmental samples
– Malawi: one WPV1 case
– Nigeria: three cVDPV2 cases and eight positive environmental samples
– Yemen: three cVDPV2 cases
– DR Congo: two cVDPV2 cases
– Madagascar: two cVDPV1 cases and six cVDPV1 positive environmental samples
– Malawi: one WPV1 case
– Nigeria: three cVDPV2 cases and eight positive environmental samples
– Yemen: three cVDPV2 cases
Full year total for 2021 for the Wild Polio virus: 1 case WPV case in Pakistan, 4 in Afghanistan and 1 in Malawi
So what does that mean:
WPV: Wild Polio Virus. The number after it means if it is type 1, type 2 or type 3. Type 2 and 3 have not occurred in the wild since 2015 and 2019 respectively. Only WPV1 remains.
cVDPV: circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus. The polio case caused by a virus that has mutated from the oral polio vaccine (OPV). Again, the number after it is the type (1, 2, or 3). Although Type 2 wild polio has been eradicated, it still can occur in the vaccine derived cases because type 2 is used in the oral vaccine. The use of the new novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) introduced last year will help reduce the cases of cVDPV.
Positive Environmental sample: the polio virus can live in the environment, usually in water or sewage samples. By sampling the environment, specialist can tell if an outbreak may be likely if immunizations are not kept up.
Endemic country: countries which have never stopped the transmission of wild polio virus.