Zimbabwe: Polio Outbreak - Oct 2023

Zimbabwe detected seventeen (17) circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) from environmental samples in Harare since October 2023. The samples were from four polio environmental surveillance sites in Harare. Polio outbreak was declared a public health emergency (PHE) by the Minister of Health and Child Care in October 2023. An index human cVDPV2 was reported in a 10-year-old female AFP case in January 2024.

Two newly confirmed AFP cases (samples from contacts) have been reported this week (cumulative 23) with a NPAFP rate at 1.3 per cent children over 15 years. A total of 10,517,500 doses of nOPV2 were received on 29 January 2024 for the planned two supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). Expiry date 14/08/2025. A joint press release on Round 1 national nOPV2 polio SIA done by the Honorable Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) with UNICEF, WHO and Partners on 16 Feb 2024. (UNICEF, 16 Feb 2024)

From October 2023 to date, Zimbabwe has detected twenty-one (21) circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases in environmental samples (ES) from four polio environmental surveillance sites in Harare. In January 2024, an index human polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported in a 10-year-old girl with a case of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). (UNICEF, 12 Apr 2024)

Between April 14-19 (week 16), three new acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases were reported (cumulative 97 cases) with a non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP) rate at 3.8 per cent children over 15 years. (UNICEF, 7 May 2024)

To date, Zimbabwe has detected 22 circulating cVDPV2 cases from four environmental samples (ES) in Harare since October 2023 (17 cases from 2023 and five in 2024). During the reporting period between 27 April to 10 May, no new cVDP2 case has been reported from environmental sites in Harare while one new cVDP2 case was reported in the previous reporting period from 13 March to 26 April 2024. Between April 29 - May 3 (week 17), ten new acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases were reported (cumulative 107 cases) with a non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP) rate at 3.8 per cent for children over 15 years. (UNICEF, 18 May 2024)