Level 2 - Global Polio

This Travel Health Notice (THN) was originally posted on September 26, 2022, and is updated regularly based on the most current data.

Key points

Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus (listed below and shown in map).

The list of countries in the THN is informed by the latest global epidemiological data and used to make recommendations regarding required measures to support polio eradication. This list is comprised of countries that have detected poliovirus in humans or environmental samples in the past 13 months.

Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines.

Before travel to any destination listed below, adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series may receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.

Map: Countries where poliovirus has been detected within last 13 months

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see larger map

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What is polio?

Polio is a crippling and potentially deadly disease that affects the nervous system. The best way to protect yourself is to get vaccinated for polio, especially before travel to locations where polio outbreaks are occurring. Good hand washing practices can help prevent the spread of this disease. Because the virus that causes polio lives in the feces (poop) of an infected person, people infected with the disease can spread it to others when they do not wash their hands well after defecating (pooping). People can also be infected if they drink water or eat food contaminated with infected feces.

Most people with polio do not feel sick. Some people have only minor symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, stiffness in the neck and back, and pain in the arms and legs. In rare cases, polio infection causes permanent loss of muscle function (paralysis). Polio can be fatal if the muscles used for breathing are paralyzed or if there is an infection of the brain.

What is the current situation?

The following destinations have circulating poliovirus (see map):

Afghanistan

Algeria

Angola

Benin

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chad

Côte d'Ivoire

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Djibouti

Ethiopia

Germany

Israel

Laos

Malawi

Mali

Namibia

Niger

Nigeria

Pakistan

Papua New Guinea

Somalia

South Sudan

Sudan

Tanzania

Togo

United Kingdom

Yemen

Zambia

What can travelers do to prevent polio?

Get the polio vaccine

Children and adults should be up to date on their routine polio vaccines.

Adult travelers may get an inactivated polio vaccine booster if they:

are going to a destination that has circulating poliovirus;

have completed their routine polio vaccine series; and

have not already received one adult booster dose.

Clinician Information

Ensure that anyone unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated completes the routine polio vaccine series before international travel.

Additional Information

Poliomyelitis in Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases — The Pink Book

Polio Vaccination: Information for Healthcare Professionals

CDC Yellow Book: Poliomyelitis

Traveler Information

Polio Vaccination for International Travelers

About Polio

CDC Travelers’ Health: Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling

Polio Vaccine Information Statement

Update on 9/23/2026 includes the addition of Malawi, Mali, Togo, and Zambia and the removal of Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gaza, Poland, and Senegal.