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Poliomyelitis

Facts and figures

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis in a matter of hours.

 

Polio cannot be cured, but there are safe vaccines that can effectively prevent the disease. Proper polio vaccine, when administered multiple times, can protect a child from this disease for life.

 

For more information about polio, please follow the links below.

See also

From other WHO sites

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