Poliovirus: WHO extends travel restrictions on Pakistan

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has extended travel restrictions on Pakistan for 90 days amid outbreak of polio cases.

The extension came during the meeting of the Emergency Committee of the WHO held on November 6 regarding the international spread of poliovirus at WHO headquarters, according to a statement.

The Emergency Committee reviewed the data on wild poliovirus (WPV1) and circulating vaccine derived polioviruses (cVDPV). The Secretariat presented a report of progress for affected IHR States Parties subject to Temporary Recommendations.

The meeting also reviewed the steps being taken by the Pakistani government to control the increasing number of poliovirus cases.

The WHO expressed concerns over the increasing number of polio cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It is to be noted that Pakistan has reported 59 cases of the crippling disease in 2024 so far.

According to the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) for Polio Eradication, the newly reported cases emerged from Dera Ismail Khan, Kemari, and Kashmore.

The NEOC confirmed that all affected children tested positive for Wild Polio Virus Type 1.

Balochistan leads with 26 polio cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 16, Sindh with 15, Punjab with one, and Islamabad with one.

Health authorities continue their efforts to combat the spread of the virus through vaccination campaigns and public awareness initiatives.

Symptoms and risk

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours.

The poliovirus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine. Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness of the neck and pain in the limbs.

One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). Among those paralysed, 5–10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.

The disease mainly affects children under 5 years of age. However, anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease.

There is no cure for the crippling disease, it can only be prevented. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life.

There are two vaccines available: oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine. Both are effective and safe, and both are used in different combinations worldwide, depending on local epidemiological and programmatic circumstances, to ensure the best possible protection to populations can be provided.