ReliefWeb

Key highlights

• One (1) new case of cVDPV2 was reported this week from Mayadeen, Deir Ez-Zor governorate. The date of onset of the case was 18 August 2017. The most recent case (by date of onset) remains 25 August

• The total number of cVDPV2 cases is 53

• Third party independent monitoring results for the second outbreak response round for Raqqa governorate have been received. Reported coverage of targeted children is 69% (measured by parental recall through a house to house survey). Market surveys reported much higher coverage of 84%

• Sixteen (16) new refrigerator trucks have been provided by UNICEF to transport vaccine and maintain cold chain for ongoing response activities and outreach

• WHO is supporting the upgrade of laboratory facilities to enable more sophisticated techniques to be conducted in country for the detection of poliovirus. WHO is also supporting the establishment of environmental surveillance in country by end of 2017

Immunization response

• Two outbreak response rounds utilizing mOPV2 have now been completed in both Deir Ez-Zor and Raqqa governorates. A single dose of IPV has also been offered to children 2-23 months in all districts of these two governorates except Tell Abyad district, Raqqa.

• Additional IPV immunization aiming to reach children aged between 2-23 months in high risk areas of Aleppo and Idlib has concluded. IPV activities Hama governorate are ongoing. Total administrative coverage to date reports 223,001 children between ages 2-23 months were vaccinated (representing 98% of the target)

Raqqa

• Third party independent monitoring of the second immunization round for Raqqa reported coverage of 69.0% (measured by parental recall through a house to house survey). Raqqa district reported the highest coverage (75%), followed by Thawra (69%) and Tell Abyad (63%)

• 73% of households knew about the (second) campaign in Raqqa governorate before its implementation. The highest percentage was in Raqqa district with 90% awareness

• 451 children (12% of the sample) were found to be vaccinated for the first time in Raqqa governorate

• Third party independent monitoring of IPV vaccination in Raqqa and Thawra districts reported a total of 10,960 children aged between 2-23 months were vaccinated with IPV, which represents 36% of the total target for the governorate. Vaccination with IPV was not able to be conducted in Tell Abyad district. Work in Tell Abyad district continues to start this activity as soon as possible

Deir Ez-Zor

• In addition to ongoing contact sampling from all AFP cases, supplementary surveillance strategies are also being implemented to further strengthen surveillance sensitivity across the country. Stool samples are being taken from healthy children arriving from known infected areas as well as from silent districts – districts that have not reported an AFP cases in 2017

• Cold chain is being assessed in Deir Ez-Zor to establish the additional equipment needs

Other governorates

• IPV campaign activities in Hama governorate are ongoing in high risk areas. Initial administrative coverage reports 8,073 children aged between 2-23 months were vaccinated (representing 80% of the target)

• Preparation for additional IPV campaign activities in Hasakah, Aleppo and Damascus governorates are ongoing. Microplans have now been developed for the campaigns, which are planned for November 2017. These supplementary activities will help to protect children arriving and living in these areas

• Sixteen (16) new refrigerator trucks have been provided by UNICEF to strengthen local capacity to transport vaccines and maintain cold chain for ongoing response activities and outreach

• Active case search in displaced camps and stool collection from healthy children in displaced populations arriving from Deir EzZor is continuing