Health authorities in Burundi declared this Friday, March 17 an epidemic of circulating poliovirus derived from a type 2 vaccine strain (cVDPV2), after having confirmed the presence of eight polioviruses for the first time in thirty years, informs the World Organization of Health (WHO) for Africa, in a press release.
“The detection of circulating poliovirus type 2 shows the effectiveness of disease surveillance in the country. Polio is highly contagious and it is essential to act quickly to protect children through effective vaccination,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“We support national efforts to scale up polio vaccinations so that no child is left behind and risks suffering the debilitating effects of the disease,” she continues.
According to the statement, the Burundian government, which has declared the detection of the virus a national public health emergency, plans to implement a polio vaccination campaign in the coming weeks to protect all eligible children ( 0 to 7 years old) against the virus.
Health authorities, with the support of WHO and Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners, have also undertaken other epidemiological investigations, including risk assessments, to determine the scale of the epidemic.
Circulating poliovirus type 2 is the most prevalent form of poliomyelitis in Africa, and outbreaks of this type of poliovirus are the most common in the region, with more than 400 cases of acute flaccid paralysis reported in 14, the UN body points out. affected countries in 2022.
Circulating poliovirus type 2 infection can occur when the weakened strain of virus contained in the oral polio vaccine circulates among underimmunized populations for long periods of time.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1093 of 17/03/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
