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| Nigeria to start emergency polio campaign | Nigeria to start emergency polio campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria has announced an emergency mass polio vaccination campaign in the north-east after two new cases emerged. | Nigeria has announced an emergency mass polio vaccination campaign in the north-east after two new cases emerged. |
| They were the first incidences of the highly infectious disease in Africa for two years. | |
| The government said polio paralysed two children in Borno state, a part of Nigeria where Boko Haram militants have hindered health campaigns. | The government said polio paralysed two children in Borno state, a part of Nigeria where Boko Haram militants have hindered health campaigns. |
| The development is seen as a major setback for Nigeria, which was on track to be declared polio free in 2017. | The development is seen as a major setback for Nigeria, which was on track to be declared polio free in 2017. |
| The cases were confirmed exactly two years after Africa's last previous case - in the Puntland region of Somalia, on 11 August 2014. | The cases were confirmed exactly two years after Africa's last previous case - in the Puntland region of Somalia, on 11 August 2014. |
| Nigeria's government said that one million children would be immunized in the affected areas in Borno and a further four million will also be targeted in neighbouring states. | Nigeria's government said that one million children would be immunized in the affected areas in Borno and a further four million will also be targeted in neighbouring states. |
| Health Minister Isaac Adewole said the priority was to "boost immunity" and "ensure that no more children are affected by this terrible disease". | Health Minister Isaac Adewole said the priority was to "boost immunity" and "ensure that no more children are affected by this terrible disease". |
| The Nigerian authorities, along with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), are currently investigating the situation to find out where the virus has spread. | The Nigerian authorities, along with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), are currently investigating the situation to find out where the virus has spread. |
| The mass vaccination could start "as soon as next week", WHO Director for Polio Eradication Michel Zaffran told the BBC Newsday programme. | The mass vaccination could start "as soon as next week", WHO Director for Polio Eradication Michel Zaffran told the BBC Newsday programme. |
| The militant Islamist Boko Haram insurgency in north-east Nigeria has made some areas of Borno hard to access in recent years. | The militant Islamist Boko Haram insurgency in north-east Nigeria has made some areas of Borno hard to access in recent years. |
| The fact that these two cases have been discovered was a result of increased health surveillance in the north-east, which was made possible by military success against Boko Haram, the government said. | The fact that these two cases have been discovered was a result of increased health surveillance in the north-east, which was made possible by military success against Boko Haram, the government said. |
| Why did polio return? By Anne Soy, BBC Africa health correspondent | |
| Just when Africa thought it had gone two years without a case of wild polio virus, the debilitating disease reared its head again. | |
| The disappointment was immediately clear. | |
| Nigerian Health Minister Isaac Adewole described the two new cases as a setback. | |
| WHO's Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said she was deeply saddened. | |
| But how could the virus have "disappeared" for two years before re-emerging? | |
| WHO said there was possible low-level transmission during that period. | |
| About one in 200 cases of infection results in paralysis. | |
| As long as there are unvaccinated children, there will be a good chance of it surviving and spreading. | |
| The answer for now is to vaccinate all children under five. | |
| Nigeria has made a lot of progress in reversing the spread of polio in the last five years. | Nigeria has made a lot of progress in reversing the spread of polio in the last five years. |
| In 2012, the country had more than half of all polio cases worldwide, the WHO says. | In 2012, the country had more than half of all polio cases worldwide, the WHO says. |
| The WHO puts the reduction down to a "concerted effort by all levels of government, civil society, religious leaders and tens of thousands of dedicated health workers". | The WHO puts the reduction down to a "concerted effort by all levels of government, civil society, religious leaders and tens of thousands of dedicated health workers". |
| In order for the WHO to declare a country free of polio it has to go three years without a new case. | In order for the WHO to declare a country free of polio it has to go three years without a new case. |
| Polio is a viral disease that usually affects children and can only be prevented through immunisation. | Polio is a viral disease that usually affects children and can only be prevented through immunisation. |
| It is spread by poor sanitation and contaminated water. | It is spread by poor sanitation and contaminated water. |
| What is polio? | |
| Source: World Health Organization | |
| The history of polio |