Polio interruption target may not be met

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ATLANTA, May 13 (UPI) -- Almost 1,300 wild poliovirus cases with onset of paralysis were reported worldwide in 2010, a 19 percent decrease from 2009, U.S. officials say.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there was a more than 94 percent reduction in reported cases in India and Nigeria from 2009 to 2010, and the lowest level of wild poliovirus type 3 cases worldwide ever reported.

"Although there has been great progress toward polio eradication in 2010, from January 2011 to March 2011, the number of wild poliovirus cases in Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Pakistan were substantially higher than in the same period of 2010, and three new outbreaks had been reported," the report said. "Successful interruption of wild poliovirus transmission in India in 2011 is in sight and possible in Nigeria, the goal set in 2009 of interrupting all wild poliovirus transmission globally by the end of 2012 is in jeopardy based on current trends."

Prompt and substantial commitments by the governments of polio-affected countries and increased efforts of polio-eradication partners are needed to achieve this goal, CDC officials said.

The findings are published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.