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Middle East polio outbreak "on verge" of being stopped
29.01.2015 09:14 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
A polio outbreak in the Middle East is «on the verge» of being stopped, NRCU says referring to the polio experts’ report at a regional Polio review meeting in Beirut organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
As to the report, the outbreak which started in Syria and spread to Iraq in early 2014 paralysed at least 38 children in Syria and Iraq, prompting fears of a major epidemic.
A regional outbreak response helped immunize more than 27 million children across 8 countries.
Thus, polio experts remain «cautiously optimistic».
As to the report, one year has now passed since the last confirmed case of the virus in Syria and nine months since the last in Iraq, in spite of the ongoing conflict and mass population displacement in the region.
The achievement is the result of enormous efforts and commitments shown by governments, health workers and parents to ensure their children are covered.
Besides, the experts warn though that the disease could make a renewed comeback.
With violence «still sweeping» Syria and Iraq, there is a serious risk that some children are not being reached regularly by vaccination teams, they note.
Also, the experts add the further immunization campaigns over the months ahead are essential given the gaps in vaccine coverage and potentially new surveillance for new cases.
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