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Poliomyelitis in Afghanistan

21 July 2017

One new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case was reported in the past week, bringing the total number of WPV1 cases for 2017 to five. It is the most recent case in the country, with onset of paralysis on 19 June from Kandahar.

One new WPV1-positive environmental sample was reported in the past week, from Nangarhar, collected on 21 June. It is the seventh WPV1-positive environmental sample detected in the country this year; three of the seven samples are from Nangarhar and three from Kandahar.

(Via Global Polio Eradication InitiativeLink - accessed 21/07/17)

Advice for Travellers

Afghanistan is classified by the WHO as a polio infected country (see more recent updates for current status).

Authorities in the UK recommend the following.

Travellers should be encouraged to take strict precautions with food, water and personal hygiene.

In Scotland, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) advise:

  • Where visiting a polio infected country for longer than 4 weeks travellers should receive a booster dose of a polio-containing vaccine if they have not had one in the past 12 months (this advice supersedes the current advice in the Green Book).
  • Travellers should acquire this additional dose within 12 months of the date they plan to leave the polio-infected country.
  • Where visiting a polio infected country for less than 4 weeks travellers should ensure they are up-to-date with routine polio vaccination, including 10 yearly boosters.
  • Travellers should carry proof of vaccination. In particular, for Pakistan this should be documented on the standard International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP). The ICVP is the 'Yellow Card' normally used for yellow fever vaccination.
  • In Scotland, paper ICVP’s can be obtained from HPS by contacting TRAVAX administration, email your FULL NAME and FULL POSTAL ADDRESS to: NSS.HPSTravax@nhs.net electronic copies can be downloaded from WHO

In England, Public Health England and NaTHNaC have issued advice which is different to that in Scotland (please look at Travel Health Pro Clinical updates for full details).

For further infromation please see Poliomyeltis and FAQ pages.