Southern Africa: Timely Outbreak Response, Enhanced Surveillance Halts Wild Poliovirus Transmission in Southern Africa

Brazzaville/Lilongwe/Maputo — Following thorough assessments in Malawi and Mozambique, an independent Polio Outbreak Response Assessment Team (OBRA) today recommended the closure of the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) outbreak in Malawi and Mozambique, marking a significant milestone in the fight against polio in the African region.

The last WPV1 case in the African Region, linked to a strain circulating in Pakistan, was reported in Mozambique’s Tete Province in August 2022. A total of nine cases…