Polio outbreaks in the Philippines
The Philippines is currently experiencing polio outbreaks.
On 19th September an outbreak of polio was declared in the Philippines. Children in the Philippines are at risk of lifelong paralysis because of this outbreak.
The polio outbreaks are occurring in different parts of the Philippines because of low levels of uptake to the polio vaccines.
The polio virus strains causing the outbreaks are circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). Additionally environmental water samples have tested positive for vaccine derived polio viruses.
Polio in the Philippines
- One case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) was recently reported from the West Mindanao province. The onset of paralysis was 28 October 2019. This was the first reported cases of cVDPV1 in 2019.
- Three cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were reported recently from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao province. The onsets of paralysis were between 02 and 25 October 2019.
- Read the WHO Philippines country page for more information
Travel advice
The World Health Organization International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Residents (and visitors for more than 4 weeks) from infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within 4 weeks to 12 months of travel.