World Polio Day: vaccination remains key to keeping Europe polio free

World Polio Day, on 24 October, provides an opportunity to celebrate the progress, people and innovations bringing the world ever closer to poliomyelitis (polio) eradication. Since its initiation in 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has made remarkable progress, reducing wild poliovirus cases by over 99% globally.

The WHO European Region achieved polio-free status in 2002 and has remained free of endemic spread of the virus since then. However, success in contributing to global polio eradication, as well as the Region's polio-free status, continue to be challenged.

Polio vaccination coverage for the European Region as a whole decreased in 2024 compared to previous years, leaving over 450 000 babies unprotected.

A variant poliovirus, type 2, has been detected through routine surveillance of wastewater systems in 6 countries in the Region (Finland, Germany, Israel, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom) since September 2024, with the most recent positive sample found in September 2025 in Germany. Thanks to sufficient vaccination coverage in the affected areas, there has been no evidence of community transmission of this virus nor any cases of paralytic polio in any of these countries to date.

Circulation of another variant poliovirus, type 1, detected in the environment in Israel from February 2025, has been declared an outbreak. The country maintains a highly sensitive poliovirus surveillance system, enabling rapid detection of the virus. However, known immunization gaps persist in high-risk population groups. Immediate steps have been taken to increase immunization coverage among these groups and address reasons for low vaccine uptake. No polioviruses have been detected in Israel over the past 2 months.

"These isolated detections and the outbreak in Israel remind us of the importance of timely vaccination for all children, in all communities," said Ihor Perehinets, Health Security and Regional Emergency Director for WHO/Europe.

"Gaps in immunization coverage leave children vulnerable and present a health security risk to our Region and beyond. We must not return to a time when polio regularly threatened lives and overwhelmed health systems. WHO/Europe stands strong with all of our Member States and partners in our commitment to eradicate all forms of poliovirus rapidly, worldwide."

Polio eradication within reach

Polio is a highly infectious disease that travels easily and silently across wide geographic areas, without respect for national borders. Thirty-five years ago, wild polio paralysed 350 000 children a year. This year so far it has paralysed fewer than 50, thanks to decades of global collaboration. Until global eradication is achieved, all countries and every unimmunized individual remains at risk.

WHO/Europe, together with other GPEI partners, continues to support national and local public health authorities in their investigations and monitoring of the situation, as well as in strengthening immunization programmes and rapidly responding to detections of the virus to prevent it from spreading.