We are THIS close –

• In 2023, Afghanistan has had NO cases of Wild virus Type 1.

• In 2023, Pakistan has had only one case of Wild Virus Type 1.

Only Afghanistan and Pakistan are polio endemic.

Polio-endemic refers to a region or country where poliomyelitis, also known as polio, is regularly present and spreading. In other words, it is an area where there is a continuous transmission of the poliovirus, possibly leading to a significant number of cases of the disease.

There is currently no cure for the disease, but it can be prevented through vaccination.

Countries or regions that are polio-endemic have significant challenges in controlling and eradicating the disease due to various factors, including limited healthcare infrastructure, poor sanitation, and vaccine hesitancy. As we get close to eradicating the virus, there are still challenges.

In the table at left, note that there are incidents of Wild polio virus type 1 from other sources. That means that the virus has been detected in environmental samples, selected contacts, healthy children, vaccine-derived occurrences, and other sources.

Various other countries have reported polio cases in recent years, indicating the ongoing threat of the disease.