WILD POLIO VIRUS, TYPE 1 (WPV1) - There were no new cases of WPV1 reported this last week, so the number of cases remain at 23 for the year. THIRTY-SIX - The number of days since the last case of WPV1 occurred in

Pakistan (August 9th).
SEVENTY-ONE - The number of days since the last case of WPV1 occurred in

Mozambique (July 5th).
TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-THREE (8 MONTHS) The number of days since the last case of WPV1 occurred in Afghanistan (January 14th).

TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY-NINE (9 MONTHS +) - The number of days since the last case of WPV1 occurred in Malawi (November 19th, 2021).

TWENTY-THREE - The total number of cases of WPV1 that has occurred in 2022 year-to-date (1 in Afghanistan, 5 in Mozambique and 17 in Pakistan).
SIX - The total number of cases of WPV1 that occurred in 2021 (1 in Pakistan, 1 in Malawi and 4 in Afghanistan).

ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY - The total number of cases of WPV1 that occurred in 2020.
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX - The total number of cases of WPV1 that occurred in 2019.

There were 5 New Wild Positive Environmental Samples (ES’s) reported this last week, all in Pakistan, so the total, year to date, increases to 28, 26 in Pakistan and 2 in Afghanistan. Three of the new samples were collected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where Pakistan’s 17 cases of paralysis occurred earlier this year. One of the other two samples was collected in Punjab and the other in Sindh (Greater Karachi). Of note is that the Sindh sample is genetically linked to the WPV1 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is not unexpected due to the large-scale and frequent population movements between this area and the rest of the country... particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. To combat this, they are continuing surveillance efforts in greater Karachi and further boosting immunity levels through planned programs in 1,200 health camps they have established to

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prevent WPV1 from establishing a foothold in Pakistan’s largest city. And all of this is taking place during the huge humanitarian crisis caused by the floods, with millions of people moving to urban centers for refuge. And still, in the middle of all of this, they have managed to reach nearly 32 million children in the country, with health workers wading through deep water to reach children with the life-saving vaccine.

CIRCULATING VACCINE-DERIVED POLIO - On our other battlefront in the war on polio, the circulating Vaccine-Derived Polio, there were 41 new cases vs. 20 the week before. 32 were in DR Congo (four Type1’s and 28 Type 2’s), 8 Type 2’s were in Yemen and the last case was the Type 2 discovered in New York, which had been previously reported as occurring last June, but only now being added to the “official” worldwide count. This brings year to date case totals to 332, compared to 306 a year ago at this time. The number of cVDPV2 cases in Yemen now stands at 127, 38% of the total VDPV cases, year to date, worldwide. DR Congo is a distant 2nd with 110 but catching up, with 28% of the total, worldwide. Also note that DR Congo is now co-infected with both Type 1 and Type 2 of the virus, and is urgently conducting a response to stop both strains.

And finally, there were only 2 Positive Environmental Samples (ES) of Vaccine Derived Polio Type 2 reported last week, one from Niger and one from Côte d’Ivoire.

Following the isolation of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) in New York, USA in July, further virological and epidemiological analysis confirms circulation of this strain, officially categorizing it as cVDPV2. New York and US public health authorities continue to implement a timely and appropriate response in order to rapidly interrupt its circulation, including by: continuing to intensify surveillance efforts (including for potential cases of paralysis), identifying population sub-groups/areas with potential immunity gaps, and proactively reaching out to communities with known immunity gaps to strengthen vaccination coverage.