Equatorial Guinea

Status: no longer poliovirus-infected, but at high risk of outbreaks

Central Africa remains at particular risk of poliovirus. In 2013, wild poliovirus type 1 was detected in Cameroon, linked to WPV1 last detected in Chad in 2011. In 2014, both Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea had reported cases. Additionally, detection of WPV1 in north-eastern Nigeria in 2016 means that central Africa is again at particular risk of re-infection.  Given the history of international spread of polio across Central Africa and subnational surveillance gaps, response activities are continuing across Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Niger and Equatorial Guinea.

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.