Namibia declares polio outbreak in Windhoek, Gobabis

Health minister Esperance Luvindao has declared a polio outbreak after the same poliovirus type 2 first detected at Rundu late last year was also found in sewage samples from Windhoek and Gobabis.

Speaking at a media briefing in Windhoek on Thursday, Luvindao said the latest detections show the virus is circulating beyond the initial site.

“Our surveillance systems have now detected the exact same poliovirus in sewage samples from Windhoek and Gobabis. These new detections far from the initial site prove that the virus is actively circulating within our borders,” she said.

The outbreak declaration follows a polio event announced in November 2025 after the virus was found in a sewage sample collected at the Ndama sewage pond at Rundu.

Luvindao said no polio cases or paralysis have been recorded in Namibia so far.

“To date, no person in Namibia has been diagnosed with polio or paralysed by it. We have only detected the virus in sewage through environmental surveillance,” she said.

The health ministry has announced a third round of the national polio vaccination campaign from 20 to 23 April, targeting children aged 10 and younger.

Luvindao said the extra round is needed despite high coverage in the previous campaigns, which reached 89% and 90% coverage.

“In an outbreak response, we do not vaccinate until we are tired; we vaccinate until the virus has nowhere left to hide,” she said.

She urged parents and caregivers to take all children aged 10 and younger for vaccination, including those who already received doses in the first two rounds.

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