Latest polio update from Tajikistan and central Asia (UNICEF- WHO, European Office, May 28 2010, edited)

[Giuseppe]

Latest polio update from Tajikistan and central Asia (WHO, European Office, edited)

[Source: World Health Organization, <cite cite="http://www.euro.who.int/en/home/sections/news/2010/05/latest-polio-update-from-tajikistan-and-central-asia">Latest polio update from Tajikistan and central Asia</cite>.]

Latest polio update from Tajikistan and central Asia

21 May 2010


As of 19 May 2010, Tajikistan has reported 432 acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases of which 129 have been laboratory confirmed for wild poliovirus type 1.

All laboratory-confirmed cases reported so far are from the capital Dushanbe and surrounding provinces, and Khatlon oblast in the south-western part of the country.

Of the 129 confirmed poliomyelitis (polio) cases, 27 (21%) are children under 1 year of age, 80 (62%) are 1?5 years of age, 15 (12%) are 6?14 years of age, and 7 (5%) are 15 years of age or older.

During the first round of the polio vaccination programme, 1 129 168 people (97% of the target population) received the first of three doses of monovalent oral polio vaccine (mOPV1). The second round of the nationwide vaccination campaign is nearly complete (18?22 May) while the third round will take place on 1?5 June.

WHO?s international expert team continues to conduct a detailed outbreak investigation and provide technical assistance to the Government of Tajikistan together with the United Nations Children?s Fund (UNICEF) and other key partners. WHO works closely with Tajikistan?s neighbours in the WHO European Region (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) on preparedness and response measures. WHO is also conducting risk assessments to identify other Member States at high risk of transmission of wild poliovirus should importation occur.


Update from the neighbouring region and the Russian Federation

The governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have strengthened surveillance and begun or will soon begin vaccination campaigns. Together with its international partners, WHO has deployed expert teams to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to help strengthen surveillance and to support national and subregional vaccination activities.

• Uzbekistan
  • In Uzbekistan, 29 AFP cases have been reported since January 2010. So far, 23 have been laboratory negative and 6 are pending laboratory results. With UNICEF and other key partners, WHO is helping to implement and monitor a two-round national polio immunization campaign aiming to reach almost 2.9 million children under 5 years of age to ensure high immunity against poliovirus.
  • The first round of the campaign began on 17 May and, by the end of the second day, the Ministry of Health reported high coverage (69%). International monitors in every oblast have reported high attendance at health facilities. The second round is scheduled for 7?13 June 2010.
• Kazakhstan
  • The Government of Kazakhstan has strengthened surveillance for AFP cases and is in close contact with WHO about preparedness and planning. The Ministry of Health plans to conduct one round of polio vaccination in July 2010 targeting over 1.8 million children under the age of 6 years. The vaccines are currently being procured.
• Turkmenistan
  • The Government of Turkmenistan has also strengthened surveillance for AFP cases and is in close contact with WHO about preparedness and planning. The Ministry of Health plans a national polio vaccination campaign for children under 5 years of age. The purchase of 1 million doses of vaccine is currently under way, but external assistance is needed to purchase some further 500 000 doses.
• Russian Federation
  • As of 18 May 2010, the Russian Federation has reported one imported laboratory-confirmed case of polio in a 9-month-old child with AFP. The child arrived in Irkutsk, Russian Federation, from Tajikistan on 1 May. The Russian Federation has enhanced AFP surveillance and is immunizing susceptible populations.

Partners and funders

WHO works in close partnership with UNICEF, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States of America, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Save the Children International.

The international effort to bring the polio outbreak under control has received financial support from Rotary International, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID). WHO and UNICEF are actively mobilizing resources to support the cost of preparedness and response activities.
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[tetano]

Re: Latest polio update from Tajikistan and central Asia (WHO, European Office, May 21 2010, edited)

Re: Latest polio update from Tajikistan and central Asia (WHO, European Office, May 21 2010, edited)

UNICEF- Tajikistan: Situation Report on Polio Outbreak 28 May, 2010

As  of  25  May  2010,  Tajikistan  has  reported  544  AFP  cases  of  which  139  have  been  laboratory 
confirmed for wild poliovirus type 1. All laboratory‐confirmed cases reported so far are from the south 
western part of the country (Dushanbe City and surrounding districts, Khatlon zone and Kulyab zone of 
Kurgan‐Tube oblast). Two AFP cases have been reported from Soghd oblast in the north. Confirmed 
cases have come from 20 of 58 districts, Dushanbe City, Khudjand City, and Kurgan‐Tube City,.   
Virus transmission is sustained by young children, this is reflected by the curves developed last week; 
About two thirds of confirmed cases are among children under 6 years of age, whit the rest above that 
age group. Of the 139 confirmed wild poliovirus cases, 29 (21%) are less than one year of age, 82 (59%)  
are 1‐5 years of age, 20 (14%) cases are between the ages of six and fourteen, and 8 (6%) are 15 years 
of age and older. 
Information  on  vaccination  history  is  under  investigation,  however,  it  seems  most  cases  have 
uncompleted vaccination status. 
The last official polio immunization coverage data (2008) report 87% of children under five routinely 
immunized.  However,  there  may  be  a  wider  immunity  gap,  particularly  in  migrants  and  refugees 
populations living in isolated geographical areas that had not been routinely immunized.  While the re‐
emergence of the polio virus in the country, certified polio‐free in 2000, constitutes a major setback 
for  regional  and  global  efforts  to  eradicate  polio,  the  cases  in  Tajikistan  have  no  immediate 
implications for the European Region’s certification. 

The dates and target population for the next 2 rounds were agreed upon with the MoH and RCIP. The 3rd round will be conducted from 1–5 June, targeting all children <15 years of age. The schools will be open (decree from Ministry of Education and due to longer winter school holidays), enabling easy access to the group of 6 to15 years of age. MoH suggested organizing the 4th round from 15 to 19 June, targeting same age group.

Vaccine (mOPV–1) for the expanded coverage in rounds three and four arrived on 26 May 2010;(6,350,000 doses) procured by UNICEF from WHO pre–qualified manufacturer.

The second round of the immunization campaign has been completed; as in the first round starting a few days earlier in Dushanbe and surrounding districts (14 May). The officially reported coverage during the 2nd round of the SIA nationwide is 99.4%; estimated coverage of 99.8% in Dushanbe.

Results from first round of Tajikistan's nation–wide polio vaccination campaign indicate that 1.134.000 children under 6 were immunized with monovalent oral polio vaccine; 99.6% of the target group.

Updated information about the outbreak can be found on the WHO/EURO website (21 May 2010): http://www.euro.who.int/en/home/sec...–polio–update–from–tajikistan–andcentral–asia


http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MYAI-85Z96V/$File/full_report.pdf