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Polio this week as of 15 February 2017

Countries
Pakistan
+ 4 more
Sources
GPEI
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Polio this week as of 15 February 2017

  • The 12th meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) met on 7 February and concluded that current global polio epidemiology continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Temporary Recommendations promulgated under the IHR remain in effect. National polio emergency action plans continue to be implemented in all countries affected by circulation of either wild poliovirus or vaccine-derived poliovirus, and all countries currently thus affected have declared these events to be a national public health emergency. Read about the IHR findings and recommendations here.

  • Gates Annual Letter published – zero is the magic number: Bill and Melinda Gates this week published their Annual Letter, highlighting how close polio eradication is to achieving its goal. In their letter, they highlight in particular the heroic dedication of health workers around the world and Rotary International, in bringing the world to the threshold of being polio-free.

  • Rotary Convention preparations in full swing – Bill Gates to keynote convention in Atlanta, USA, in June.

  • A personal video testimonial on living with polio: Ann Lee Hussey, a polio survivor and volunteer for Rotary International, shares her story of living with polio. Her experiences drive her commitment to end the disease once and for all.

  • Summary of newly-reported viruses this week (see country-specific sections below for further details): Pakistan – one WPV1 positive environmental sample.