Polio detected in 30+ destinations
USA Today • • health
Key Points:
- The CDC has issued a level 2 travel advisory warning travelers to ensure their polio vaccinations are up to date due to recent detections of poliovirus in multiple countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.
- Countries affected include Afghanistan, Germany, Nigeria, Pakistan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and several others where poliovirus has been detected within the past year.
- Polio is a serious disease that can cause paralysis or death, spreading primarily through contact with contaminated food, water, or poor hand hygiene.
- The CDC advises that all travelers, including children and adults, be current on their polio vaccinations before international travel, and recommends a single lifetime booster dose for adults traveling to areas where the virus is circulating.
