Surveillance to Track Progress Toward Polio Eradication — Worldwide, 2020–2021 | MMWR - ISS-G20 Laboratorium Repository

What is already known about this topic

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance, the primary means of tracking poliovirus transmission, is supplemented by environmental surveillance of sewage samples. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected polio surveillance.

What is added by this report?

Analysis of 2020–2021 AFP surveillance data from 43 priority countries experiencing or at high risk for poliovirus transmission found that national AFP surveillance performance improved from 2020 to 2021 in many priority countries, particularly in the World Health Organization’s African Region; however, substantial national and subnational gaps persist.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Surveillance gaps need to be identified and addressed to ensure timely detection of poliovirus circulation and achieve eventual eradication.

Entire content available on: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7115a2.htm