Malawi has recorded the first outbreak of Polio on the African continent for the first time in 4 years according to the World Health Organisation.
Polio is a contagious infectious disease which can cause paralysis and death.
The wild type 1 poliovirus was discovered in a child in the city of Lilongwe, Malawi, according to the WHO.
The agency added that laboratory tests had shown that it had apparently been brought in from Pakistan.
“As long as wild polio exists anywhere in the world all countries remain at risk of importation of the virus” said WHO regional director, Matshidiso Moeti.
The organisation says it will support local health authorities in the south-east African country to ensure that the case remained isolated and did not spread.
Except for Afghanistan and Pakistan, all countries in the world have beaten the wild polioviruses.
In Africa, the last case was registered in Nigeria in 2018.
