Last updated:  24 October 2020

Polio is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, a virus enters that enters the body through the mouth and spreads to others through fecal-contaminated food and water. For example, if someone touches human waste contaminated with the virus, and then eats food without washing their hands properly, the virus could enter the body through the mouth.

The virus invades the nervous system and can cause permanent paralysis or death. Initial symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented with polio vaccine.

Polio vaccines are extremely safe and effective and have resulted in global cases decreasing by over 99% - protecting more than 2 billion children against polio. Given multiple times, polio vaccine can protect a child for life.

On 8 December 2019, the Ministry of Health of Malaysia announced the country’s first case of polio since 1992. Testing has confirmed that the virus is a strain of poliovirus that is genetically linked to the virus that has also been detected in the Philippines. These rare strains of poliovirus are sometimes found in under-immunized populations.

WHO is working closely with UNICEF and other partners to collaborate with the Ministry of Health in responding to this outbreak. WHO’s provides technical advice in surveillance and case detection, risk communication, immunization response and monitoring.