US flu markers show more rises as COVID levels decline

Two countries reported new polio cases this week: Pakistan, with 3 more wild poliovirus type 1 cases (WPV1), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with a vaccine-derived case, according to the latest weekly report from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

Pakistan’s 3 new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) occurred in December, thus raising the nation’s 2024 total to 73 polio cases.

In the DRC, one circulative vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 was reported, but no other details were provided. 

Report on recent wastewater detections in Europe

In other polio news, yesterday European researchers published a report in Eurosurveillance detailing the detection circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in wastewater samples in Finland, Germany, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. 

All detections were made in the second half of 2024. The United Kingdom had the most detections, with 12, followed by Poland (8), Germany (7), Finland (5), and Spain (2). Detection dates ranged from September 16 through November 18.

The authors said genomic analysis shows high sequence identity between isolates from different countries, suggesting genetically related cVDPV2 strains.

This observed genetic diversity argues for nearly simultaneous importations of genetically related viruses.

“This observed genetic diversity argues for nearly simultaneous importations of genetically related viruses having occurred into different European locations from an unknown country or area during a short period of time although other explanations are possible, such as some transmission occurring between European countries,” they wrote.