Polio from Nigeria

Northern Nigeria is currently affected by a new outbreak of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) which has the potential to cause international outbreaks.

From 2003 to 2006, an outbreak in northern Nigeria eventually reinfected 20 previously polio-free countries, causing outbreaks as far away as Indonesia and Yemen and resulting in 1,475 cases.

 Nigeria currently accounts for 86% of WPV1 cases in the world. Upwards of 20% of children remain unimmunized in the north of the country. Large-scale rounds of emergency polio immunization were planned for the northern states in July and August.