39 Countries On Poliovirus Travel Advisory

Throughout 2024, various health agencies issued travel alerts regarding the detection of polioviruses. While polio is a vaccine-preventable disease, virus detections in wastewater and the environment have continued in 2025.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has confirmed various countries are reporting cases of wild polio, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2, and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1.

As of January 14, 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reissued its Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions, Travel Health Advisory highlighting 39 countries reporting poliovirus detections.

Not listed by the CDC is the United Kingdom, which detected poliovirus samples from East Worthing Sewage Treatment Works, Leeds Knostrop Sewage Treatment Works, and the London Beckton Sewage Treatment Works in late 2024.

Previously, the World Health Organization stated in December 2024 that the spread of the poliovirus remained a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

To reduce poliovirus transmissions, the CDC wrote, 'Before travel to any destination listed, adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series may receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.'

Polio vaccines are offered at most travel clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.