ONE STEP BACK FOR GLOBAL POLIO ERADICATION: FOUR

UNCLAS SANAA 001032 SIPDIS STATE - PLEASE PASS TO CDC. AMMAN - PLEASE PASS TO JOCK WHITTLESLEY. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO AMED YM SUBJECT: ONE STEP BACK FOR GLOBAL POLIO ERADICATION: FOUR CASES IN YEMEN ¶1. The World HEALTH Organization (WHO) has identified four cases of polio in Yemen since early February. According to Deputy Minister of HEALTH Dr. Abdulmagid Al-Kulaidi, the genetic profile of the polio virus indicates that these cases may be related to the ongoing outbreak in Sudan, which in turn are related to an outbreak in Nigeria. WHO Representative Dr. Hisham al-Zein hypothesized that the transfer point could be Mecca, Saudi Arabia, annual destination for millions of Hajj pilgrams. ¶2. Whatever the origins of the virus, the four cases indicate current or ongoing tranmission in Yemen. With results of laboratory tests of the four Accute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) polio cases still pending, the Yemen Ministry of HEALTH swiftly engaged the WHO to conduct a national vaccination campaign. The WHO plans to complete the first innoculation campaign in May and June. Krajeski