Update: Polio this week – As of 27 Nov 2012
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx

[Editor’s Extract]
– The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has published the report of its end-October meeting. Entitled ‘Polio’s Last Stand’, the report highlights that polio is ‘more tightly confined than ever’ and that the global eradication effort is ‘enjoying an unprecedented level of priority and commitment’. While the report notes that the programme ‘will now clearly not achieve its goal of stopping all transmission by end-2012’, the IMB points out that despite this, prospects for success ‘are more positive than ever’. [http://www.polioeradication.org/Portals/0/Document/Aboutus/Governance/IMB/7IMBMeeting/7IMB_Report_EN.pdf
– The Kano State Government, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Dangote Foundation – funded by Nigerian business magnate Alhaji Aliko Dangote – launched this week a collaboration to improve routine immunization and primary health care in Kano, with a goal of reaching 80% coverage with basic vaccines by 2015. Kano has one of the lowest routine immunization coverage rates in Nigeria, with less than 40% of children vaccinated.

Afghanistan
– One new WPV case was reported in the past week (one WPV1 from Khost), bringing the total number of WPV cases for 2012 to 31. It is the most recent case in the country and had onset of paralysis on 9 November.
– Khost province is on the country’s eastern border with Pakistan. Though Khost is not an endemic area, a case was reported in September as well. Both cases are linked to virus circulating in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province in Pakistan.
– The Independent Monitoring Board has stated that Afghanistan has made progress, but too slowly, and that too many children in southern Afghanistan are missed not just due to insecurity but also due to remaining managerial challenges. As with each of the three endemic countries, the IMB recommends ‘absolute ownership’ by leaders at all levels…

Nigeria
– Six new WPV cases were reported in the past week (five WPV1s from Katsina and one WPV1 from Borno), bringing the total number of WPV cases for 2012 to 110. A WPV1 from Katsina is the most recent in the country and had onset of paralysis on 4 November.
– Katsina has now had 32 cases, and represents nearly one-third of all of Nigeria’s cases this year. The state has the most intense transmission of wild poliovirus in the world at the moment, accounting for more than 15% of all polio cases globally this year.
– The new case in Borno is the first since August. Insecurity in Borno continues to complicate operations, and the state’s proximity to Chad is cause for concern. Historically, polio from Borno has spread east into Chad and from there onwards…

Pakistan
– Two new WPV cases were reported in the past week (WPV1s from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – KP, and Federally Administered Tribal Areas – FATA), bringing the total number of WPV cases for 2012 to 56. The WPV1 from FATA is the most recent case in the country and had onset of paralysis on 10 November.
– Additionally, two new cVDPV2 cases were reported in the past week, bringing the total number of cVDPV2 cases to seven (all from the greater Quetta area of Balochistan)…