Horn of Africa polio outbreak tops 200 cases: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported today that the polio (WPV-1) outbreak on the Horn of Africa has jumped to 208 cases, according to the latest Global Alert and Response published Oct. 1.

Horn of Africa
Image/NASA

Somalia is currently reporting 191 cases, while Kenya has 14 and Ethiopia is reporting three.

This total is up from 191 total on Sept. 25.

In addition, as previously reported  on The Global Dispatch, three suspected cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) from South Sudan are currently being investigated.

The WHO says the three young female patients all had previously been immunized with oral polio vaccine (OPV).

Because of the routes of poliovirus spread in previous Horn of Africa outbreaks, South Sudan had been considered at high risk of re-infection.

Immunization rates in neighboring Sudan and Uganda are also being assessed to determine overall population immunity levels.

The current Horn of Africa polio outbreak began in April with the first case seen in Somalia since 2007.

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