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**Shiloh** · January 21, 2013, 12:13 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-84...-from-Pakistan

Polio spreads from Pakistan to Egypt
January 21, 2013 - Updated 1921 PKT
From Web Edition

CAIRO: A state of emergency has been declared in Alexandria and Cairo cities of Egypt after the polio virus transferred to the country from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister?s Polio Monitoring Cell in Pakistan has directed all provincial governments to set up polio counters at airports and all internal and external routes across the country...

**Ronan Kelly** · January 21, 2013, 01:01 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

Polio spreads from Pakistan to Egypt

MONITORING DESK 51 min ago | Comments (0)
A state of emergency has been declared in Egypt?s Alexandria and Cairo after authorities found spread of polio virus in the two cities, reportedly transferred to the country from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister?s Polio Monitoring Cell in Pakistan has directed all provincial governments to set up polio counters at airports and all internal and external routes across the country.
...

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/01/21/news/national/polio-spreads-from-pakistan-to-egypt/

**Ronan Kelly** · January 21, 2013, 01:08 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

machine translated;

Back polio after his exit from Egypt for years
Wrote: News virgin last updated January 20, 2013 at 09:41 pm Breaking News , Sohtak | No Comments
Disclosed Dr Ahmed Omar, media adviser at the Ministry of Health and Population, that the ministry will start a campaign to vaccinate against polio doses exceptional for children less than 5 years, in Ezbet Hagana and peace in Cairo, and a number of areas Kaliobeya, and after the emergence of samples positive for the polio virus in those areas.

He said ?Omar? The sector of Preventive Medicine ministry will take random samples of sewage in various regions of the Republic, the epidemiological surveillance of various infectious diseases in Egypt, especially polio, pointing out that the ministry has conducted analyzes of samples area Haggana and peace in Cairo confirmed the emergence of strains positive of the virus, sewage samples and will send a vaccination campaign for those areas as a precautionary measure.

An official source at the Ministry of Health that once discovered a positive random samples of sewage areas of Cairo, was declaring a state of extreme emergency sector of Preventive Medicine, and send samples to the United States of America, to make sure the analysis results, and already confirmed Research Center Infectious Diseases Atlanta, USA ( cdc) and a strain of the polio virus sample, and the surprise was that the center stressed that despite the positive samples they do not belong to the Egyptian citizens because the genetic characteristics of the organic compounds similar genes Egyptian, but the similarity to a large extent and arrivals from South East Asia.

The source said it was likely to be those samples belonging to foreign students at Al-Azhar University, who live in those areas heavily.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that Egypt polio-free since 2006 and virus-free since May 2004.

http://www.newsbokra.com/2013/01/20/%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D9%84%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%A4%D9%87-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%86/

2013 - 04:51:35 Monday, 21 - January

Mona Imam

through coalition Egyptian Rights of the Child expressed concern because of what was published about a virus is found polio in sewage in Cairo and Alexandria. demanded the coalition, the government quickly respond preventive lecture virus and develop a plan, a systematic and clear to provide vaccines in all health units in the Republic and begin immediate implementation of preventive vaccination campaign for children. warned of any negligence or inaction on the implementation of this campaign because of the risk of catastrophic portend the loss of all the efforts that were made to eradicate this disease and threaten the health and future of our children

http://akhbarelyom.org.eg/news121243_32.aspx

**Ronan Kelly** · January 21, 2013, 02:02 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

A series of tweets from PM Polio Monitoring @PMsPolioE over the past 15 minutes;

PM Polio Monitoring ‏@PMsPolioE
WHO in Pakistan has reported that wild poliovirus type-1 (WPV-1) has recently been imported to Egypt from Sukkur district of Pakistan.

PM Polio Monitoring ‏@PMsPolioE
The Poliovirus WPV-1 was isolated in sewage water samples collected from two different sites in Cairo, Egypt in December 2012.

PM Polio Monitoring ‏@PMsPolioE
The Genetic analysis indicates origin of virus frm Sukkur distrct confrming tht thr is an importation of poliovirus frm Pakistan into Egypt

PM Polio Monitoring ‏@PMsPolioE
Earlier the outbreak of polio in People?s Republic of China in 2011 was also traced back to the circulation in North Sindh.

PM Polio Monitoring ‏@PMsPolioE
There is an ongoing sharing of poliovirus circulation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

PM Polio Monitoring ‏@PMsPolioE
imposing pre-travel vaccination against polio on Pak citizens travelling abroad; has already been recommended by the IMB issued in Nov 2012.

PM Polio Monitoring ‏@PMsPolioE
PM Polio Cell, WHO, UNICEF recommended to install polio counters at all international immigration points of Pakistan.

**Ronan Kelly** · January 21, 2013, 02:04 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

Above also appearing on Prime Minister's Monitoring & Coordination Cell for Polio facebook page

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https://www.facebook.com/PrimeMinistersMonitoringCoordinationCellForPolio

See posts, photos and more on Facebook.

**Shiloh** · January 21, 2013, 02:31 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Hea...#axzz2IdkPI0vp

Polio virus found in Egypt linked to Pakistan: officials
January 21, 2013 09:12 PM
Agence France Presse

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health officials Monday called for infants leaving the country to be issued polio vaccinations at airports after virus samples linked to a southern Pakistani city were discovered in Egypt.

Two sewage samples from Cairo were analysed and found to resemble a recently discovered strain in the Pakistani city of Sukkur, a joint statement by health officials, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF said.

"To reduce the possibility of spread of the polio virus beyond Pakistan's borders, the government's Monitoring and Coordination Cell is advising to set up permanent vaccination counters at the international departure lounges of all airports," it said.

The statement recommended that "all children under five years leaving the country are vaccinated against the polio virus..."

**Giuseppe** · January 21, 2013, 03:34 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

[Source: Dawn, full page: (LINK).]

Polio virus found in Egypt linked to Pakistan: officials

‎21 January ‎2013 | AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health officials on Monday called for infants leaving the country to be issued polio vaccinations at airports after virus samples linked to a southern Pakistani city were discovered in Egypt. Two sewage samples from Cairo were analysed and found to resemble a recently discovered strain in the city of Sukkur, a joint statement by health officials, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef said.

(?)

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**Treyfish** · January 21, 2013, 09:49 PM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

Permanent vaccination counters to be set up at all airports

our correspondent
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The exportation of poliovirus from Pakistan?s Sukkur district to the Al Salam and Al Haggana areas of Cairo has prompted the government to advise the provincial as well as provincial administration to set up permanent vaccination counters inside international departure lounges of all airports across the country so that all eligible children traveling abroad are vaccinated against polio.

The decision has been taken as a preemptive measure to reduce the possibility of the spread of poliovirus beyond Pakistan?s borders. The Prime Minister?s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell, World Health Organization, Unicef and partners in Pakistan?s Polio Eradication Initiative have called for urgent pre-emptive measures against exportation of the polio virus after positive samples linked to Sukkur were discovered in Egypt. Two sewage samples collected from the Al Salam and Al Haggana areas of Cairo district bore resemblance to a strain discovered recently in sewage water tested in Sukkur.

The Prime Minister?s Polio Monitoring and Co-ordination Cell has already asked the Sindh government to improve its polio immunisation efforts to stop poliovirus transmission in the province on an emergency basis.

The Prime Minister?s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Shahnaz Wazir Ali has termed the importation of poliovirus as ?a stark reminder of the risks associated with active poliovirus transmission in the country, and the need to make efforts to stop the transmission on urgent basis in Pakistan. Though the virus has not infected any child in Egypt and the country remains polio-free since 2004, the Egyptian Ministry of Health has ordered immediate vaccination of all children less than 5 years in localities near Cairo from where the virus of Pakistan origin was discovered. Dr Ahmed Omar of the Ministry of Health and Population in Egypt has stated that the Ministry will start a campaign to vaccinate children under-five against polio in Ezbet Hagana Peace and Kaliobeya in Cairo.

Recently, the Independent Monitoring Board had also recommended international travel restrictions for the three polio endemic countries under the International Health Regulations. ?The assessment of the IMB reflects the global concern over Pakistan and other polio endemic countries; however, regarding travel restrictions, it is understandable that every polio-free country would like to maintain its polio-free status and may consider taking steps to avoid importation of the virus,? stated the Emergency Coordinator for Polio Eradication at the WHO, Dr Elias Durry.

Pakistan has taken major strides in 2012 with a 71 percent reduction in the number of polio cases, with all but 28 districts free of poliovirus transmission. The recent security-related incidents in parts of the country have exposed children to risk of contracting polio, a disease that causes permanent paralysis in young children. Polio virus type 3 has not been found in Pakistan since April 2012, whereas environmental samples have been found mostly negative for poliovirus except for a few sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.

According to Unicef?s acting head of polio unit, Michael Coleman, it reinforces the urgent need of all caregivers across Pakistan to vaccinate children under five years of age against polio through the nearest health facility or through campaign vaccination teams. Pakistan reported 58 polio cases last year. No case has been reported so far in 2013.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-New...t-all-airports

**Gert van der Hoek** · January 29, 2013, 10:21 AM

Re: Emergency declared in parts of Egypt after polio spreads from Pakistan

Egypt: Investigation Continues After Wild Poliovirus Is Detected

BY LAUREN EVERITT, 27 JANUARY 2013

INTERVIEW

Washington, DC ? Nearly eight years after the World Health Organization declared Egypt polio free and two years after the last reported case, wild poliovirus has popped up in the capital, Cairo, after routine testing of the city's sewers. Health authorities suspect the virus originated in Pakistan.

But finding polio is sewer water is not an immediate red flag, according to Steve Oberste, viral division laboratory chief at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The polio vaccine used in Egypt relies on weakened polio strains, which are then excreted - hence their presence in wastewater. But in this case, the samples were wild, or naturally occurring.

So far the Egyptian government has not identified any cases tied to the recent polio find. But Oberste said continued vigilance in imperative and ongoing. Children who have not been immunized could become infected, and then the disease could spread. Bearing that in mind, Egypt has teamed up with WHO, UNICEF and the CDC to step up surveillance for virus strains and to launch an emergency vaccination campaign.

The CDC says three regions of the world are certified as polio free ? Europe, the Americas and the Western Pacific. There are only three polio-endemic countries in the world: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

These nations have never interrupted the transmission of wild poliovirus.

AllAfrica's Lauren Everitt recently caught up with Oberste, whose team helped confirm the identity of the wild Egyptian strains, to learn more about the implications of the recent discovery.

Read the interview: AllAfrica.com