Polio in China (Sichuan Province)

15 Jul 2019

The Global Polio Eradication Intiative reports a case of polio in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province in a patient who became unwell on 25 April 2019. Polio is not normally present in this area, although the virus identified here is the same as one found in an environmental sample in Xinjiang Province in 2018.

Advice for Travellers

The World Health Organisation recommendsthat "all travellers 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."

Travellers to polio-affected areas should consider a booster of poliomyelitis vaccine if it has been more than 10 years since most recent vaccination.

For further information see Poliomyelitis.