To date, two children with acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) have tested positive for polio. In addition, the virus was found in 19 children who were in contact and had an asymptomatic course.

This was reported by the WHO and added that they are monitoring the outbreak of the vaccinogenic type 2 poliovirus in Ukraine.

“The war in Ukraine greatly increases the risk of a measles outbreak, as many families have been forced to migrate, live in overcrowded temporary accommodation, and many people cannot access medical services,” said Jarno Habicht, head of the WHO in Ukraine.

To protect children and prevent outbreaks, it is important that any child who misses a routine vaccination can easily receive the required doses. Every effort must be made to avoid a measles outbreak during the war in Ukraine. That is why WHO supports

Ministry of Health of Ukraine in providing measles vaccine for displaced children as part of the European Immunization Week in 10 regions across Ukraine.

A nationwide polio vaccination campaign to provide inactivated vaccine (IPV) to 140,000 children aged 6 months to 6 years who missed their routine vaccination was disrupted weeks after it was launched on February 1 this year. The campaign has since resumed where possible, with only 48% (approximately 69,000) of children vaccinated as of April 24.

“With every day that goes by without the resumption of disrupted services or without opportunities for displaced children to catch up on vaccinations, the risk of circulating polio, outbreaks of other childhood illnesses and further spread of COVID-19 increases,” summed up Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, Director WHO Regional Office for Europe.

The Ministry of Health has also prepared an information monument about:

• how to avoid the spread of infectious diseases if you are in a temporary shelter;
• What to look out for when setting up a safe haven.

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