A Polio-Free Africa Is Coming: CDC Report

A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that Africa could indeed be polio free in the not-so-distant future. Researchers found that with the help of vaccination efforts in Nigeria, health officials have found that there have been no confirmed cases of polio in Africa since August.

"Interrupting all poliovirus circulation in Nigeria is achievable," the authors wrote according to TIME.

Researchers added that the six cases they found earlier this year from January to September were exclusively in Nigeria--one of the three nations to still have polio cases. The other two nations are Pakistan and Afghanistan. Yet last year the number of polio cases in Nigeria was about 49.

Fortunately, improved vaccination rates have helped to bring the potential for polio-free Nigeria's northern states and have drastically improved parts of the country.

Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease, according to the CDC. There is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines. Therefore, the strategy to eradicate polio is based on preventing infection by immunizing every child to stop transmission and ultimately make the world polio free.

More Information regarding the report can be found here.