Global Outbreak Update: Regional outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 in Africa

Vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreaks in Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) sub-region, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Central African Republic and Horn of Africa region.

• Update Date: 31 July 2019
   
• Time frame and cases: In Nigeria, the last case of poliovirus dated from August 2016. An outbreak was detected in Jigawa state on 13 October 2018. 50 positive samples have been confirmed from children by 22 July 2019. In Niger, by 22 July 2019, 22 cases have been reported in the country since July 2018. In Cameroon, 1 case linked to the Nigeria outbreak was confirmed on 16 May 2019 from a collected sample from 20 April 2019. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, 31 cases have been reported between January 2018 to 5 July 2019. In Angola, 2 outbreaks have been detected in 2019. In the Central African Republic, several VDPV2 cases and 1 cVDPV2 case have been confirmed. In Ethiopia, an outbreak was detected in Somali province. Somalia has 3 reported cases in 2019. Kenya has detected an environmental sample.
   
• Regions: Nigeria - 17 states have been affected including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara states.  Niger - Magaria, Tanout, Dungass, and Bosso. Cameroon - Far North region. The Democratic Republic of the Congo - Mongala (11), Haut Katanga (4), Kasai (4), Haut-Lomami (5), Sankuru (4), Tanganyika (2), and Ituri (1). Angola - Luanda Norte and Huila provinces. Central African Republic -  Bambari district. Ethiopia -  Somali province.
   
• Virus Information: cVDPV2, genetically distinct cVDPV2, and genetically distinct VDPV2.
   
• Response: The Democratic Republic of the Congo: The Ministry of Health and local health authorities are undertaking a detailed investigation with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) providing support. Polio vaccination activities across the country as part of routine immunization. Field investigation of all cases detected is being routinely implemented, followed by planning of appropriate response activities. Angola: Two preventive emergency outbreak response campaigns with mOPV2 are planned in Lunda Norte province, to be synchronized with campaigns in neighboring areas of DR Congo, to interrupt any potential cross-border circulation. Central African Republic: The Ministry of Health and local health authorities are undertaking a detailed investigation with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) providing support. A full epidemiological and virological field investigation is ongoing. Ethiopia / Somalia: The Ministry of Health and local health authorities are undertaking a detailed investigation with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) providing support.
   
• Recommendation: WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travelers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Residents (and visitors for more than 4 weeks) from infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within 4 weeks to 12 months of travel.
   
• More information on this update here.

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