Acute poliomyelitis, unspecified
Acute poliomyelitis, unspecified clinical and global spread profile: 52 countries, 122 WHO outbreak events since 1996.
Acute poliomyelitis, unspecified · ICD-10 A809 · ICD-11 1C81 · 122 WHO events across 52 countries (1996–2025).
Top affected countries
| Country | Region | Events | % of global |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congo Democratic Republic of the | AFR | 6 | 5% |
| Nigeria | AFR | 6 | 5% |
| Chad | AFR | 6 | 5% |
| Niger | AFR | 5 | 4% |
| Angola | AFR | 5 | 4% |
| Kenya | AFR | 5 | 4% |
| Indonesia | SEAR | 4 | 3% |
| Togo | AFR | 4 | 3% |
| Ghana | AFR | 4 | 3% |
| Côte d'Ivoire | AFR | 4 | 3% |
| Ethiopia | AFR | 4 | 3% |
| Somalia | EMR | 4 | 3% |
| Papua New Guinea | WPR | 3 | 2% |
| Sudan | EMR | 3 | 2% |
| Syrian Arab Republic | EMR | 3 | 2% |
Distribution by WHO region
| Region | Events | Share |
|---|---|---|
| AFR | 81 | 66% |
| EMR | 18 | 15% |
| EUR | 8 | 7% |
| SEAR | 7 | 6% |
| WPR | 7 | 6% |
| AMR | 1 | 1% |
Annual outbreak timeline
| Year | Events | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 |
| 2022 | 6 | 6 |
| 2021 | 23 | 23 |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 | 22 | 22 |
| 2018 | 6 | 6 |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 |
| 2015 | 4 | 4 |
| 2014 | 5 | 5 |
| 2013 | 7 | 7 |
| 2011 | 4 | 4 |
| 2010 | 4 | 4 |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 |
| 2008 | 8 | 8 |
| 2007 | 3 | 3 |
| 2006 | 3 | 3 |
| 2005 | 3 | 3 |
Peak year: 2021 (23 events).
Decade summary
| Decade | Events |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 4 |
| 2000s | 23 |
| 2010s | 57 |
| 2020s | 38 |
WHO case definition
A disease of the nervous system, caused by human poliovirus. This disease commonly presents with a fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, or stiffness of the neck and back. This disease may present with an acute onset of flaccid paralysis. Transmission is commonly by the faecal-oral route or direct contact. Confirmation is by identification of poliovirus in a faecal sample or by a lumbar puncture.
Countries Affected
52
Outbreak Events
122
Year Range
1996–2025
ICD-10 A809
Acute poliomyelitis, unspecified
Visualization
Global Prevalence Snapshot
Based on WHO Disease Outbreak News events (1996–2025).
Risk Level
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