POLIO [to 2 August 2014]
GPEI Update: Polio this week – As of 31 July 2014
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Editor’s Excerpt and text bolding
Full report: http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx
:: In Pakistan, three new cases have been reported, including one from Balochistan. It is the first case in this province since October 2012. However, four positive environmental samples were collected in 2014 from Quetta, Balochistan, the most recent of which on 20 June. This case is linked to these positive environmental samples, suggesting local circulation of WPV1 this year in this area.
:: In Nigeria, more cases due to circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported this year (18) than those due to wild poliovirus type 1 (5 WPV1). Four new cVDPV2 cases were reported this week alone.
Nigeria
:: Four new cVDPV2 cases were reported in the past week, three from Kano and one from Borno. The total number of cVDPV2 cases for 2014 is now 18. The most recent cVDPV2 case had onset of paralysis on 22 June, from Kano.
:: Mop-up vaccination activities took place in parts of four northern Nigerian states from 12-15 July. Larger subnational activities are planned for the country’s north during 9-12 August (trivalent OPV), as part of urgent efforts to address the spread of cVDPV2, and 20-23 September (bivalent OPV).
Pakistan
:: Three new WPV1 cases were reported in the past week, from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA – from Khyber Agency and South Waziristan), and from Balochistan (Killa Abdullah), bringing the total number of WPV1 cases for 2014 to 102. The case from South Waziristan is the most recent in the country, with onset of paralysis on 9 July.

Editorial: Polio eradication: placing health before conflict
The Lancet
Aug 02, 2014 Volume 384 Number 9941 p377 – 468 e30 – 31

Taliban In Pakistan Derail World Polio Eradication
NPR | 28 July 2014
Excerpt
…Today the militant group continues to threaten to kill not only vaccinators but also parents who get their children immunized. That threat has had a chilling effect on anti-polio efforts nationwide. And it completely halted vaccination drives in some Taliban-controlled areas. It’s in these places that the crippling virus has come roaring back — and threatened to stymie global efforts to wipe out polio. The worldwide campaign to eradicate polio has been going on for more than two decades. It has cost more than $10 billion. Now the success of the campaign hinges on whether Pakistan can control the virus…..