After 2 Years With No Cases, Nigeria Records 2 Polio Cases In Children

Associated Press: Nigeria reports first 2 cases of polio in years, WHO says
“Nigeria has reported the first two cases of polio after more than two years, in an area newly liberated from Islamic extremists who attacked polio vaccinators in the past, the government and the World Health Organization said Thursday…” (Faul, 8/11).

The Atlantic: A Wild-Polio Outbreak in Nigeria
“August 11, 2016, was supposed to be a historic day for the global effort to eradicate the polio virus. This Thursday would have marked two years since someone on the African continent last contracted the wild-polio virus…” (Meyer, 8/11).

New York Times: 2 Polio Paralysis Cases in Nigeria Set Back Eradication Effort
“…The discovery dashed the hopes of global health authorities to be able to declare the continent polio-free soon. Nigeria’s last case of wild polio virus was reported in July 2014. The continent’s last was reported in Somalia a month after that. The WHO requires three years with no confirmed cases before declaring a region polio-free…” (McNeil, 8/11).

Reuters: Nigeria reports first polio cases in two years — WHO
“…Nigeria and the U.N. agency are conducting immunization campaigns and strengthening surveillance systems that help catch the virus early, the WHO said in a statement on the latest setback to its global program to eradicate polio…” (Nebehay, 8/11).

STAT: Polio rears its head in Nigeria, after two years with no cases
“…The development is one the community of people fighting polio had been dreading. … Now the fear is about how many cases there will be — and over how large a distance — before the outbreak can be brought under control…” (Branswell, 8/11).

U.N. News Centre: Nigeria reports first polio cases since 2014, highlighting urgency of immunization — U.N. health agency
“…WHO added that the two new cases have underscored that reaching the children in affected areas requires vaccinating populations that move in and out of inaccessible areas and areas plagued by violence due to the Boko Haram insurgency, particularly in Nigeria’s north-east…” (8/11).

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