The Americas have recorded no wild poliovirus cases for 35 years, but vaccination coverage remains below the 95% level needed to prevent the disease returning.
The Americas are marking 35 years without a case of poliomyelitis caused by wild poliovirus, a public health milestone that the Pan American Health Organisation says should not breed complacency as vaccination coverage remains below the level needed to keep the disease out. In a message for World Polio Day, the agency said the region still faces a risk of reintroducing the virus because too many children have not completed the recommended three-dose series of inactivated polio vaccine.
According to the agency, coverage improved in 2025 after the setbacks seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it still fell short of the 95% target recommended to prevent outbreaks. About 91% of children received the first dose, 89% the second and 87% the third, up from 86%, 87% and 85% respectively a year earlier. The organisation said those gains are encouraging, but not sufficient to guarantee lasting protection.
Jarbas Barbosa, the organisation’s director, said the elimination of wild poliovirus in the Americas remains one of the region’s most important health achievements, but warned that the progress is fragile while the virus continues to circulate elsewhere in the world. He said high vaccination coverage and strong surveillance are both essential to stop importations from becoming new chains of transmission. The agency also noted that the last case of wild poliovirus in the Americas was recorded in Peru on 23 August 1991, and that the region was certified free of wild poliovirus transmission in 1994, the first in the world to reach that status.
Polio is most dangerous for young children. It can attack the nervous system and cause irreversible paralysis within days, and in severe cases it can be fatal if the muscles used for breathing are affected. There is no cure, which is why the organisation is urging families and health authorities to check children’s vaccination records and close any gaps before the virus has a chance to return.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
