WHO reports on Polio Eradication in the African Region in 2011

Brazzaville, 23 May 2012 -- The number of wild poliovirus (WPV) cases in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region dropped from 657 in 2010 to 350 in 2011 representing a 47% decline. The figure denotes a 54% decline from the 650 cases reported globally in 2010. This is reflected in the 2011 report on "Eradicating Polio in the African Region" released on Wednesday in Brazzaville by the WHO Regional Office for Africa. The report says that Nigeria, Africa's only polio endemic country, reported 62 WPV cases in 2011, representing a three-fold increase over the 21 cases reported the previous… read more