Malawi declares polio outbreak, reviving fears of another resurgence

The Malawian government has declared a polio outbreak, bringing fears of another resurgence of the disease since the 2022 crisis.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation confirmed that this is the second wave of polio resurgence.

A statement from the ministry revealed that the discovery indicates active viral circulation and poses a serious threat to public health, particularly for children.

It further called on all Malawians to take the situation seriously and adopt preventive measures immediately, with vaccination identified as the most critical line of defense.

Poliovirus is typically spread in the faeces of an infected person and is picked up through contaminated water or food. It multiplies in the intestine.

While there is no cure for polio, vaccinating people to prevent them from becoming infected breaks the cycle of transmission.

The August 2020 declaration that Africa was free of the virus that causes polio marked a landmark in a decades-long campaign to eradicate the disease worldwide.

The disease was endemic worldwide until a vaccine was developed in the 1950s, though it remained out of reach for many low-income countries in Asia and Africa until a major push in recent decades.

In 1996, there were more than 70,000 cases in Africa alone.