Poliomyelitis in Afghanistan
21 Jul 2017
One new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case was reported in the past week, bringing the total number of WPV1 cases for 2017 to five. It is the most recent case in the country, with onset of paralysis on 19 June from Kandahar.
One new WPV1-positive environmental sample was reported in the past week, from Nangarhar, collected on 21 June. It is the seventh WPV1-positive environmental sample detected in the country this year; three of the seven samples are from Nangarhar and three from Kandahar.
(Via Global Polio Eradication Initiative
- accessed 21/07/17)
Advice for Travellers
Spread mainly through person to person contact via the faecal-oral route. Particularly in areas where sanitation is poor therefore travellers should be encouraged to take strict precautions with food, water and personal hygiene.
Travellers visiting this country for longer than 4 weeks may be advised to have a booster dose of a polio containing vaccine if they have not had one in the past 12 months. They should carry proof of having had this vaccination. Please speak to your travel health adviser to discuss.
For further information see Poliomyelitis.