Latest polio eradication news -- March 1, 2023

As readers know, I've been following the international effort to eradicate polio for many years now. Last year appeared to be a setback, with dozens of cases caused by the Type 1 of the wild poliovirus (Type 2 and 3 have been eliminated worldwide), and even more cases caused when the inactivated viruses in the oral vaccine mutate back to an infectious form.

This year promises to be better. There were no cases of wild-virus-caused polio in the first two months of 3023. Nine countries recorded one or two cases of illness caused by mutated vaccines. Just one country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, suffered more than two cases.

Paralyzed chhildren in Iron Lungs, California, 1953

Credit: Wikipedia
 

Once the last traces of wild poliovirus have vanished, the international medical community can focus on quick detection and control of any outbreaks from mutated oral vaccines, and eventually switch to safer oral vaccines or use of the fully inactivated injectable vaccine only.

Humanity is within striking distance of eradicating a scourge that has been maiming and killing people at least since the time of the pharoahs.