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Polio in Indonesia

28 Nov 2022

On 23rd November 2022, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) reported a case of polio in Aceh Province, Indonesia.

Advice for Travellers

Polio is a serious infection caused by the poliovirus. The virus lives in an infected person’s throat and intestines. It enters the body through the mouth and spreads through:

  • contact with the poo from an infected person
  • droplets from a cough or sneeze from an infected person, this is less common

You can become infected if you:

  • have poo on your hands and you touch your mouth
  • put objects in your mouth that are contaminated with the infected poo
  • consume food and water that has been contaminated with the poo from an infected person

You should consider having a booster dose of polio vaccine if it has been more than 10 years since your last booster and you are travelling to a country where polio remains a problem.

For further information see the fitfortravel Indonesia and Poliomyelitis pages.