International measures to stop spread of wild polio virus update

On 26 March 2020, the 24th meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus was convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The committee agreed that the situation still constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and recommended the extension of the temporary recommendations. The committee provided the director-general with updated risk categories as below: 

• A certificate requirement for polio vaccination under IHR (2005) is required for countries listed below, which are infected with WPV1, cVDPV1 or cVDPV3 with the potential risk of international spread: 
  • Afghanistan (WPV1) 
  • Pakistan (WPV1) 
  • Nigeria (WPV1) 
  • Malaysia (cVDPV1) 
  • Myanmar (cVDPV1) 
  • Philippines (cVDPV1)

• With the exception of countries marked with an asterisk (*), there is no certificate requirement under IHR (2005) for the countries listed below, which are infected with cVDPV2, with potential or demonstrated risk of international spread. However, travellers are encouraged to carry proof of polio vaccination:
  • Afghanistan*
  • Angola
  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • China
  • Cote d’Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of Congo 
  • Ethiopia 
  • Ghana 
  • Malaysia* 
  • Niger 
  • Nigeria* 
  • Pakistan* 
  • Philippines* 
  • Somalia 
  • Togo 
  • Zambia
    
    
• States no longer infected by WPV1 or cVDPV, but which remain vulnerable to re-infection by WPV or cVDPV are listed below:
  
  • Kenya
  • Mozambique
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Indonesia

Advice for travellers and further information can be found on the TRAVAX (for health professionals) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

Source: TRAVAX, 9 April 2020