POLIO [to 11 February 2017]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

Polio this week as of 8 February 2017
:: As the low season for poliovirus transmission continues, the first wild poliovirus case from acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in the calendar year 2017 is reported from Afghanistan. Wild poliovirus type 1 positive samples from 2017 had previously been reported from environmental samples in Pakistan. Both countries continue to intensify their eradication efforts to urgently interrupt any residual virus transmission.

Country Updates [Selected Excerpts]
Afghanistan
:: One new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case was reported in the past week, with onset of paralysis on 13 January, from Kandahar. It is the first reported case for calendar year 2017. The total number of WPV1 cases for 2016 remains 13. More than half of the 2016 cases are from Bermal district, Paktika.
:: This latest case is linked to the cross-border transmission corridor, affecting both southern Afghanistan and Quetta block, Balochistan, Pakistan. Both countries share common epidemiological reservoirs, and close coordination is ongoing between the country teams to further strengthen immunization and surveillance operations in a joint manner.
Pakistan
:: Three new environmental WPV1 positive samples were reported in the past week, from Quetta, Balochistan; Rawalpindi and Multan, Punjab; all collected in January 2017.