Update: Polio this week – As of 23 January 2013
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx

[Editor’s Extract and bolded text]
– The polio Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) met by teleconference on 18 January, and concluded that although the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) missed its end-2012 milestone of stopping all wild poliovirus transmission globally, the programme had brought the world to the brink of eradicating polio. “Now more than ever, the world must be absolute in its resolve to eradicate polio,” the Board said in a statement. “If the right things are done and commitment remains high, it will happen.” Confirming that polio eradication must be seen through to completion, the Board highlighted that the GPEI needed ‘unwavering global support’ in these final stages of its mission. For more, please click here…
– In Egypt, WPV has been isolated from environmental samples in two areas of greater Cairo. Virus has been detected in the sewage only; no case of paralytic polio has been reported. Genetic sequencing shows that the virus strains are closely related to virus from northern Sindh, Pakistan. The isolates were detected through routine environmental surveillance in Egypt that involves regular testing of sewage water from multiple sites. The last sample which tested positive for WPV was related to virus from Sudan, in December 2010. In response to these latest isolates, the Government of Egypt and GPEI partners are conducting further investigations, strengthening surveillance and planning large-scale immunization activities (targeting more than three million children).

Afghanistan
– No new WPV cases were reported in the past week. The total number of WPV cases for 2012 remains 37. The most recent case had onset of paralysis on 20 December 2012 (WPV1 from Nangarhar). Case response immunization with bivalent OPV in 10 districts of Nangarhar began on 23 January.

– Four new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were reported in the past week (from Hilmand and Kandahar), bringing the total number of cVDPV2 cases for 2012 to 8. The most recent cVDPV2 case had onset of paralysis on 21 December 2012 (from Hilmand).

Pakistan
– No new WPV cases were reported in the past week. The total number of WPV cases for 2012 remains 58. The most recent WPV case had onset of paralysis on 30 November 2012 (WPV1 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – KP).

– No new cVDPV2 cases were reported in the past week. The total number of cVDPV2 cases for 2012 remains 15. The most recent cVDPV2 case had onset of paralysis on 8 December 2012 (from Sindh).

– Sub-National Immunization Days (SNIDs) planned for 58 districts from 14-16 January were postponed in 29 districts due to security concerns. Postponed campaigns will be conducted over the next few weeks. An additional vaccination round will be conducted 28-30 January targeting high-risk areas.

– District officials are assessing security conditions locally, in close consultation with law enforcement.

The Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) for 25 January 2013, vol. 88, 4 (pp 37–48) includes:
– Detection of influenza virus subtype A by polymerase chain reaction: WHO external quality
– WHO advisory committee on Immunization and Vaccine related Implementation Research (IVIR, formerly QUIVER): executive summary report of 6th meeting
http://www.who.int/entity/wer/2013/wer8804.pdf
WHO – Global Alert and Response (GAR)
Disease Outbreak News – Most recent news items
No new reports

WHO – Humanitarian Health Action
No new reports
http://www.who.int/hac/en/index.html