Syrian Arab Republic
Status: no longer poliovirus-infected, but at high risk of outbreaks
Status: no longer poliovirus-infected, but at high risk of outbreaks
In 2013 and 2014, Syria experienced an outbreak of wild poliovirus closely related to virus originating in Pakistan. No wild poliovirus has been found in the country since January 2014, and Syria has not had a case of indigenous wild poliovirus since 1999.
In 2017, Syria was affected by a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV). To stop the outbreak, GPEI worked to reach every child in at-risk areas with polio vaccines to protect them against the disease and raise population immunity. The programme is also further strengthening disease surveillance to ensure rapid detection and response wherever the virus emerges.
International Health Regulations
Syria is classified by the International Health Regulations (IHR) as a state no longer infected by WPV1 or cVDPV, but which remains vulnerable to re-infection by WPV or cVDPV.
Key at-risk: no longer poliovirus-infected, but at high risk of outbreaks
Outbreak: has stopped indigenous WPV circulation but affected by outbreak of imported WPV or circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus
Endemic: has never stopped indigenous wild poliovirus (WPV) circulation
Travel advice
WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Residents (and visitors for more than 4 weeks) from infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within 4 weeks to 12 months of travel.
