AUGUST 21, 2019

Wild Poliovirus Cases Fall in Nigeria

By Ethan Covey

The eradication of polio in Nigeria continues, with immunization campaigns reaching deeply into insurgent strongholds, according to a CDC study.

The number of children living in insurgent-held areas in Borno who have not had access to poliovirus vaccines was reduced by 87% between December 2016 and May 2017 (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68[29]:642-646).

“Since the last detected wild poliovirus [WPV] case in 2016, the Nigerian government has made major improvements to