Polio found in two more countries
Published:Thursday | May 23, 2013 | 12:00 AM
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP):
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Horn of Africa is experiencing an outbreak of polio, with cases confirmed in Kenya and Somalia.
WHO said yesterday that a four-year-old girl near the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya and two of her contacts tested positive for polio, the first confirmed cases in Kenya since July 2011. A case in Somalia was confirmed earlier this month.
In response, a vaccination campaign reaching 440,000 children began May 14 in Somalia. A second round of vaccinations is planned and will include parts of Kenya.
WHO said the risk to neighboring countries is very high owing to population movements.
Global health leaders last month unveiled a six-year plan to eradicate polio, which is endemic in only Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.