WHO Confirms 2 Polio Cases In Cameroon

“The [WHO] confirmed two cases of wild poliovirus type 1 in Cameroon on Thursday, marking the first human cases there since 2009,” TIME reports (Katz, 11/21). “According to WHO, wild poliovirus was isolated from two acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases from Cameroon’s West Region,” RTT News writes (11/21). “An emergency outbreak response plan is being finalized, including at least three national immunization days (NIDs), the first of which was conducted [October 25-27],” according to a WHO press release. “Subnational immunization days (SNIDs) will be implemented in December 2013, followed by two subsequent national immunization days in January and February 2014,” the press release notes (11/21). “[T]he crippling, potentially deadly disease will remain a global threat as long as the poliovirus circulates anywhere in the world, scientists say,” Live Science writes, highlighting a recent “outbreak of polio in a previously polio-free region of China,” which researchers found “was caused by a poliovirus that originated in Pakistan” (Gholipour, 11/20).

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