Polio Update Report

In 1979, when most of the world's children were unvaccinated against polio, Rotary took on the cause of eliminating the crippling disease by universally vaccinating every child. Today, with more than 2.5 billion children worldwide vaccinated and immune from polio, new cases have be reduced to a few per year and contained to two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

 

This page contains information gathered by the World Health Organization and is updated weekly. For more information, contact District Polio Chair Katherine Hahn.

1. 

World Polio Day 2026 – Make Polio History!

24 October marks World Polio Day – an opportunity to reflect on progress, recognize the people making it possible and look at the challenges that remain.  People, governments, partners, Rotarians, communities, around the world will mark the day with events to garner commitment and support to reach and overcome the last hurdles to a polio-free world.  On this World Polio Day, the GPEI and its partners would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all who are involved in this project.  From all over the world, from all backgrounds, polio eradication is a uniting factor in an increasingly polarized world – showing that collective action is possible for the benefit of humankind.  Find out how to get involved this World Polio Day at Make Polio History – Take Action!

From Cairo to Islamabad: Political leadership puts polio eradication firmly on the agenda

With Afghanistan and Pakistan still home to the world's last endemic wild poliovirus transmission, political commitment matters more than ever. At last week's WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean in Cairo, countries reaffirmed that ending polio remains a regional priority, as regional partners, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, underscored their continued support for eradication, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. And for a closer look at Pakistan's determination to finish the job, watch this Devex interview with Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Eradication in Pakistan.

 

Three doses, stronger protection: New evidence reshapes the role of IPV in polio eradication

A third dose of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) could make a major difference in protecting children against polio. New modelling suggests that moving to a three-dose infant schedule could increase IPV-derived immunity by a median of 18 percentage points, with even greater gains in some high-risk countries. Following its October meeting, WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) recommends that countries currently using fewer than three IPV doses make the transition without delay, preferably through six-in-one hexavalent vaccines. SAGE also opened the door to a second IPV dose in outbreak response where transmission persists beyond six months. In this Q&A, WHO's Ondrej Mach and the Gates Foundation's Ananda Bandyopadhyay explain the science, the opportunities and the challenges — including why reaching children who still receive no IPV at all remains the overriding priority.

 

The fight against polio, one photo at a time!

Every vaccination campaign has its heroes — and WHO's African Region wants to see them in action! Ahead of World Polio Day, WHO AFRO is launching a polio photo contest, inviting photographers to capture the people and moments behind eradication efforts. Three categories are open: best action photo, best portrait and best vaccination photo. Got a great shot? Send it to whopoliophotocontest@gmail.com by 24 October 2026. Time to put the people behind the polio programme in the picture!

Summary of new polioviruses this week: 

·       Afghanistan :  six WPV1 cases and one WPV1-positive environmental sample

·       Chad :  one cVDPV2 case and one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample

·       DR Congo :  six cVDPV2 cases     

·       Madagascar :  one cVDPV1-positive environmental sample

·       Nigeria :  one cVDPV3 case and two cVDPV3-positive environmental samples

·       South Sudan :  two cVDPV1 cases

·       Togo :  one cVDPV2 case

 

Officially reported WPV1 and cVDPV cases as of 20 October 2026

Wild poliovirus (WPV)

·         Total global WPV1 cases in 2025: 52

·         Total global WPV1: cases in 2026: 48 (compared with 38 for the same period in 2025)

Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) cases

·         Total global cVDPV cases in 2025: 246

·         Total global cVDPV cases in 2026: 200 (compared with 160 for the same period in 2025)

 

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