Wild Poliovirus Case: First case in 30 years, infected child started experiencing paralysis

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa said in a press release that this year marks the second imported case of wild poliovirus in South Africa after an outbreak in Malawi in mid-February. The only case so far, the country's first since 1992. The infected child started experiencing paralysis towards the end of March. Genomic sequencing analysis indicates that the newly confirmed case is linked to a strain circulating in Pakistan in 2019, similar to the case reported in Malawi earlier this year, the WHO said. 

Polio is transmitted primarily through contaminated water and food or through contact with an infected person. Viruses can cause paralysis, which are sometimes fatal. 

The Mozambique incident and the former in Malawi do not affect Africa's wild poliovirus-free certification, as the strain of the virus is not endemic, the WHO insists. Africa was declared indigenous wild polio-free in August 2020 after eliminating all forms of wild polio in the region. "The discovery of another case of wild poliovirus in The African is extremely worrying, though not surprising, due to the recent outbreak in Malawi. However, it shows how dangerous this virus is and how fast it spreads," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, director of the World Health Organization in Africa. 

Support from the United Nations

1. An investigation is being conducted in Mozambique to determine the extent of risk posed by new cases of wild poliovirus and the need for targeted response.

2. Preliminary analysis of samples collected from three contacts of newly detected cases, all of them were negative for wild poliovirus type 1. WHO said, "We support governments in South Africa to strengthen the fight against polio including conducting large-scale, effective immunization campaigns to stop the virus and protect children from its harmful effects." 

3. In response to the Malawi outbreak, Mozambique recently conducted two large-scale immunization campaigns – in which 4.2 million children were vaccinated against the disease. 

4. Efforts are currently underway to strengthen disease surveillance in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. All those countries will continue mass immunization, with plans to reach 23 million children aged five, and polio vaccinations will be administered in the coming weeks, the WHO confirmed. 

Wild poliovirus is endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Polio is highly contagious, and mainly affects children under the age of five. There is no cure for polio, and it can only be prevented with vaccination. Children around the world are at risk of wild polio type 1 until the virus is eradicated in the last remaining regions where it is still circulating.