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UNICEF-WHO Philippines: Polio Outbreak Situation Report #11 (11 December 2019)

Countries
Philippines
Sources
UNICEF
+ 1 more
Publication date

Highlights

  • 5 new human cases reported in the past week

  • In response to first human Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type 1 (VDPV1) case from the island province of Basilan, in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), outbreak immunization was conducted in Maluso, Basilan with bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) against polio type 1, vaccinating 13,547 children under 10 years old (102% of the target)

  • Currently 9 human cases confirmed with circulating VDPV type 2 (cVDPV2); one case with VDPV1, one case with cVDPV1; and one case with immunodeficiency-related VDPV type 2 (iVDPV2).

  • A case with VDPV1 from Sultan Kudarat is pending genetic analysis - One case of cVDPV1 from Malaysia was confirmed as genetically linked to the Basilan case.

  • Synchronized polio vaccination campaign conducted on 25 November-10 December (including 2 days of extension) vaccinated 4,309,566 children under 5, which is 98% of the target total 4.4 million children under 5. A total of 1,395,365 children under 5 were vaccinated in National Capital Region (NCR), which is 109% of the target, and 2,914,201 (94%) in Mindanao.

  • DOH planning to conduct outbreak immunization with bOPV targeting 710,296 children under 10 in the Sulu Archipelago, Zamboanga City and Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat on 6-12 January 2020.

  • Current polio outbreak resulting from persistently low routine immunization coverage, and poor sanitation and hygiene.

  • Philippines is affected by both cVDPV1 and cVDPV2. cVDPV is considered a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type 1 (cVDPV1)

In response to the first human case confirmed with VDPV1 from Maluso, Basilan (BARMM), outbreak immunization was conducted in the area with bOPV for children under 10 years old, vaccinating 13,547 children under 10 years of age (102% of the target).

A cVDPV1 case in Sabah State, Malaysia was confirmed to be genetically linked to the Basilan case by the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) in Australia. Since the two viruses are genetically linked they are both classified as circulating.

A new VDPV1 case from Sultan Kudarat (Region XII) was confirmed on 6 December 2019 and is pending further genetic analysis.

All 13 cVDPV1 environmental samples found in Manila are all genetically linked.

Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type 2 (cVDPV2)

All 9 human cases and 17 environmental samples confirmed with cVDPV2 are genetically linked. All human cases were reported from Mindanao (BARMM and Region XII), whereas environmental samples were found in NCR and Davao.

All samples were tested by the National Polio Laboratory at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), whereas sequencing and genetic analysis is done at the NIID in Japan and additional genetic characterization provided by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).