WHO: Wild Poliovirus Type 3 eradicated, one strain in transmission

The World Health Organisation on October 24 said that the wild poliovirus type 3 virus has been eradicated with only one strain of the virus in transmission. WHO categorizes the viruses on the basis of certain virological differences and eradication, though all three types could cause paralysis and death. It was back in 2012 when the last case of WPV3 was recorded in Nigeria. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief for an independent panel concluded that the required criteria have been met to "verify that this strain is truly gone". 

Read: UN Says 1st Local Polio Case Found In Zambia Since 1995

Types of Poliovirus that persists

As per WHO reports, WPV2 was declared eradicated in 2015, but Afghanistan and Pakistan still suffer from WPV1 virus circulation. There was a re-emergence of non-wild forms of polio in Africa and Asia, including the Philippines. The re-emergence last month caused a mass vaccination campaign in the regions.  

Read: Facebook Blocks 31 Pakistan Pages, Accounts For Polio Propaganda

David Salisbury, chair of the independent Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication, said in a statement, "We cannot stop our efforts now: we must eradicate all remaining strains of all polioviruses".

Read: FIR Lodged Against Fawad Khan After Wife Refuses Anti-polio Drops For Daughter

Rumors on anti-polio vaccines in Pakistan

After receiving a request from the Pakistan government’s polio program, Facebook has blocked 31 pages and accounts in Pakistan for allegedly spreading propaganda against the vaccine on August 28, as per media reports. The rumor spread on social media on the basis of the death of a one-year-old girl in Swabi province on August 26. Social media posts claimed her cause of death to be due to the polio vaccine. Polio cases have been surging in Pakistan this year. Compared to 12 in 2018 and eight in 2017, about 58 cases of polio have been recorded in Pakistan this year. A major chunk of 44 out of the total 58 cases lie in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The country remains one of the few countries in the world where polio has not yet been eradicated.

Read: On ‘World Polio Day’ Amitabh Bachchan Admires ‘Undying Dedication’ Of Anti-Polio Campaign Workers

(With inputs from PTI)