Via ProMED-mail, a news release from the South Sudan Ministry of Health: Poliomyelitis update (22): South Sudan, Global. Excerpt:
The Government of South Sudan is treating as an utmost priority an outbreak of polio in South Sudan. 3 children have been confirmed with the infection, 2 in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and another in Eastern Equatoria State.
"We consider this a national health emergency," the Honourable Dr Riek Gai, Minister of Health, said on Monday [30 Sep 2013] morning. We are mobilizing from the highest level of Government to every community in the country in order to stop this disease.
"We are also working closely with WHO, UNICEF, and other key partners around the world and here in South Sudan to ensure the most effective response. Together, we will stop the spread of polio in South Sudan," the Minister added.
Two girls, aged 2 and 8, living in Aweil South County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and a 2-year-old girl in Ikotos county, Eastern Equatoria State, were confirmed on 26 Sep 2013 as having polio. The status of the 3 girls is being followed closely. The cases were confirmed by the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi.
South Sudan had been polio-free since June 2009.
Since the polio outbreak in Somalia was confirmed in May [2013], quickly followed by its spread to Kenya and Ethiopia, medical authorities across South Sudan have been on high alert to look for any possible cases in this country. The Ministry of Health and its partners conducted additional polio vaccination campaigns in August [2013] in the States considered most at risk from the outbreak in the affected countries on its borders. Those States were Upper Nile, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria, and Central Equatoria. Pariang County in Unity State was also included in that vaccination campaign.
Immediately following the confirmation of the 3 polio cases, the Government and partners responded with emergency vaccinations in the areas where the virus was detected. The emergency "mop-up" campaign, in Aweil South County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, and Gogrial West county in Warrap State and Ikotos and Budi counties in Eastern Equatoria State will continue through 4 Oct [2013]. This "mop-up" campaign is designed to stop the spread of the virus quickly.
