Section 1: Epidemiology Most of Afghanistan is polio free but pockets still struggle to end transmission Since 2016, the number of infected districts has increased from 4 in 2016 to 9 in 2017 and 14 in 2018. Similarly, the number cases (13 in 2016, 14 in 2017 and 21 in 2018) and positive environmental samples (41 in 2016, 42 in 2017 and 83 in 2018) has increased significantly in the past three years. At the start of 2019, wild poliovirus transmission in Afghanistan is restricted to Southern and Eastern Regions. No polio cases were detected in the rest of Afghanistan in 2018. Out of 21 polio cases in 2018, 15 cases are in the Southern Region, while 6 cases are in the Eastern Region. Ongoing transmission in the Southern Region is due to indigenous local transmission, while that in Eastern Region is part of the Northern corridor transmission involving bordering areas of both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
NATIONAL EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
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