Global Polio Alert Extended in 2023

As 2022 ended, about thirty countries reported polio cases and/or poliovirus confirmations.

In response to these serious disclosures, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reissued its Level 2 Travel Advisory.

On January 3, 2022, the CDC confirmed various international destinations have circulating poliovirus, such as London, England.

Since polio is a vaccine-preventable disease, the CDC says before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines.

And the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of an authorized polio vaccine.

In the U.S., polio vaccines are generally available at most clinics and pharmacies.

While most people with polio do not feel sick, it can be a crippling and potentially fatal disease that affects the nervous system. 

In reaction to a polio case confirmation in New York, the CDC announced on November 30, 2022, it would expand wastewater testing for poliovirus in select jurisdictions, such as near Detroit and Philadelphia.

As of December 30, 2022, sequencing analysis by the CDC confirmed the presence of poliovirus in a total of 99 positive samples of concern in New York.

Disclosures: Polio data originated from the CDC and NY Dept. of Health.