Global polio eradication and current outbreaks

Wild poliovirus (WPV1) Endemic transmission of WPV1 persists only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which together form a single epidemiologic block.1-3 For 2025, WHO’s IHR Emergency Committee cites 40 WPV1 cases (9 Afghanistan, 31 Pakistan), down from 99 cases in 2024.1,2 THE Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) situation reports in early 2026 describe the first WPV1 case of 2026 from Sindh, Pakistan (onset 10 Feb 2026), alongside multiple recent WPV1‑positive environmental samples in Pakistan; Afghanistan also continues to report positive environmental detections.3,4 A single WPV1‑positive environmental sample was detected in Germany in 2025, linked to importation, underscoring the risk of international spread.1,2 Circulating vaccine‑derived polioviruses (cVDPV) cVDPV2 remains the main challenge: in 2025, 192 cVDPV2, 7 cVDPV3, and 3 cVDPV1 cases were reported across 27 countries, with 218 positive environmental detections.2,3,5 Highest 2025 cVDPV2 case counts were reported from Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Yemen, which together account for about two‑thirds of the global cVDPV2 burden.2,3,6...