WHO Declares “Polio Eradication in Africa” August 26, 15:35
WHO = World Health Organization announced on the 25th that polio causing paralysis in limbs has been eradicated from Africa. Now, polio continues to be infected in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
WHO announced on October 25 that it had eradicated polio from Africa, saying that no cases of being infected with the virus have been reported for four years since the last confirmed infection in Nigeria in 2016.
There are cases in which poliomyelitis mainly affects children under the age of five, and when it develops, paralysis may be left on the limbs or death.
In 1996, in Africa, an estimated 75,000 children were paralyzed, but the number of people infected was decreasing as vaccination progressed.
On eradication of polio, WHO Executive Secretary Tedros said, "Today is a blessed, hopeful day. We are celebrating the historic public health success of eradicating the poliovirus from Africa." Said.
Now, polio is now infected in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
However, this time, eradication was declared in the natural world called "wild strain", and it is said that the virus infection derived from vaccination still continues in 16 African countries.