Polio in Chad

22 Oct 2019

On 20 October 2019, the World Health Organisation reported a case of polio in Chari Baguirmi province, Chad, close to the border with Cameroon. The case is a 13 month old child who became paralysed on 9 September 2019. The virus involved is similar to one occurring in Borno state, Nigeria.   

Advice for Travellers

The World Health Organisation recommends that "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 be offered a booster of poliomyelitis vaccine if it has been more than 10 years since their last dose.

For further information see Poliomyelitis.