Update: Polio this week – As of 04 January 2013
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx

[Editor’s Extract and bolded text]

– Niger reports polio: In the first outbreak of polio in 2012 outside of an endemic country or a country with re-established poliovirus, Niger has reported a case of wild poliovirus. This is the first case in the country since December 2011 and is related to virus originating in Nigeria.
– 2012 ends with fewest wild polio cases ever: The year ended with the fewest children paralyzed by wild polio virus, in the fewest places, in history. Two hundred and eighteen wild polio cases have been reported so far for 2012 – a greater than 60% reduction from 2011. Over the year, through the tireless dedication of the on-the-ground heroes of polio eradication, more than 2 billion doses of vaccine were distributed to 429 million children around the world.

Nigeria
– One new WPV case was reported in the past week (1 WPV1 from the Federal Capital Territory), bringing the total number of WPV cases for 2012 to 119. This is the most recent in the country and had onset of paralysis on 3 December. The area was covered in Sub-national Immunization Days on 18-21 December.
– No new circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus cases (cVDPV) were reported in the past week. – The total number of cVDPV cases for 2012 remains 4, with the most recent having onset of paralysis on 16 August.
– Given spread of WPV of Nigerian origin to Niger, targeted Supplementary Immunization Activities will take place in high-risk and under-served districts in Nigeria on 12-15 January, synchronized with Niger. National Immunization Days across Nigeria are planned for 2-5 February and 2-5 March.

Pakistan
– One new WPV case was reported in the past week, a WPV1 with onset of paralysis on 30 November in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The total number of WPV cases for 2012 is 58.
– Three new circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) cases were reported in the past week, two from Balochistan and one from Sindh (Karachi area). The most recently reported case occurred in Sindh on 8 December and is related to the Balochistan outbreak. The total number of cVDPV cases for 2012 is now 15.
– Small-scale immunization activities are taking place on an ongoing basis in the polio-endemic areas of Pakistan, as the security situation allows.

Niger
– Niger reports polio: In the first outbreak of polio in 2012 outside of an endemic country or a country with re-established poliovirus, Niger has reported a case of wild poliovirus. This is the first case in the country since December 2011 and is related to virus originating in Nigeria.

West Africa
– One new WPV case was reported in the past week, a WPV1 from Tahoua province in Niger with onset of paralysis on 15 November. This is the first case in the region in 2012.