Africa: 134 new polio cases recorded on World Polio Day

On World Polio Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 134 new cases of polio in Africa, reported in at least seven countries, including Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and Mozambique. Although Africa was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, these new cases, caused mainly by vaccine-derived strains (cVDPVs), are renewed concern among health authorities.

Return of polio: a worrying health challenge

Vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) occurs when attenuated vaccine virus circulates in an under-immunized population, eventually mutating into a form capable of causing epidemics. The persistence of this phenomenon highlights the challenges of immunization in Africa, where obstacles such as armed conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and fragile health infrastructure complicate vaccination efforts. In several affected regions, declining vaccination coverage has opened the door to this resurgence.

Local and international responses

In response to this resurgence, affected governments, working with WHO and other international partners, have launched emergency campaigns to vaccinate children under five. This age group remains most at risk of severe forms of polio, which can lead to irreversible paralysis or even death in extreme cases. Public health teams are working to improve vaccination coverage in high-risk areas, while strengthening surveillance to rapidly detect any further spread.

Eradication still out of reach?

The emergence of new polio cases in Africa demonstrates that global eradication of the virus remains an immense challenge. While the continent has successfully eliminated wild poliovirus through decades of vaccination, this resurgence shows that completely interrupting polio transmission requires continued vaccination coverage. As long as poliovirus circulates in other parts of the world, such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, the risk of reimportation remains, and continued efforts will be needed to prevent new outbreaks.