Afghanistan, March 5 -- The World Health Organization warned in its latest report from the 44th meeting of the Polio Emergency Committee that transmission of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) continues in Afghanistan, with the southern regions reporting the highest number of cases.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the WHO said five new WPV1 cases were recorded in Afghanistan in 2025, with intense transmission observed in southern and eastern parts of the country.
The agency said transmission in the south has been exacerbated by insufficient vaccination coverage and restrictions on conducting house-to-house immunization campaigns.
The Emergency Committee also raised concerns over the limited presence of female health workers, warning that ...