Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Dec 7, 2024 4:49:44 GMT
New wastewater polio detections in Europe, more cases in 3 countries - Published Dec 6, 2024
By Stephanie Soucheray
Germany has become the latest European country to find poliovirus during routine wastewater surveillance, joining Spain and Poland who have also reported such detections in recent months.
According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), German officials found four circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) environmental samples in October and November, from four major cities: Munich, Bonn, Cologne, and Hamburg.
"Poliovirus has been detected through routine surveillance of wastewater systems in three countries in the WHO European Region (Germany, Poland and Spain) since September this year," GPEI said. "While no cases have been detected to date, the presence of the virus underscores the importance of vaccination and surveillance, as well as the ongoing risk that any form of poliovirus poses to all countries everywhere."
The European region has been free of polio since 2002. Last week the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) urged countries to be cautious and proactive with routine vaccination.
"While the public health impact and significance of wastewater sample findings is yet to be determined, the priority actions remain the same: effective surveillance and high vaccination coverage across all communities,” the ECDC said. “Europe continues to have a high capacity to achieve both these goals.”
More polio in Pakistan
In other polio news, in the past 2 weeks Pakistan has reported seven new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases. The total number of cases for 2024 is 56.
Afghanistan also detected a WPV1 case, bringing the country’s total this year to 25.
Finally, Niger has three new vaccine-derived cases. The country has seen 14 cVDPV2 cases in 2024.
By Stephanie Soucheray
Germany has become the latest European country to find poliovirus during routine wastewater surveillance, joining Spain and Poland who have also reported such detections in recent months.
According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), German officials found four circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) environmental samples in October and November, from four major cities: Munich, Bonn, Cologne, and Hamburg.
"Poliovirus has been detected through routine surveillance of wastewater systems in three countries in the WHO European Region (Germany, Poland and Spain) since September this year," GPEI said. "While no cases have been detected to date, the presence of the virus underscores the importance of vaccination and surveillance, as well as the ongoing risk that any form of poliovirus poses to all countries everywhere."
The European region has been free of polio since 2002. Last week the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) urged countries to be cautious and proactive with routine vaccination.
"While the public health impact and significance of wastewater sample findings is yet to be determined, the priority actions remain the same: effective surveillance and high vaccination coverage across all communities,” the ECDC said. “Europe continues to have a high capacity to achieve both these goals.”
More polio in Pakistan
In other polio news, in the past 2 weeks Pakistan has reported seven new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases. The total number of cases for 2024 is 56.
Afghanistan also detected a WPV1 case, bringing the country’s total this year to 25.
Finally, Niger has three new vaccine-derived cases. The country has seen 14 cVDPV2 cases in 2024.