The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued travel health advisories for more than 40 countries where poliovirus has been detected, including several popular European tourist destinations, urging Americans to make sure their vaccinations are up to date before heading abroad.
The CDC recently added Finland, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Kenya to its global travel alert, joining a list of more than 30 other countries where poliovirus has been detected in the past year. The advisory is classified as “Level 2,” meaning travelers are encouraged to “practice enhanced precautions” — but are not advised to avoid travel altogether.
Polio, formally known as poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease that attacks the nervous system. About 75% of polio cases show no symptoms at all. Mild cases may cause sore throat and fever, while severe cases can lead to neck stiffness, muscle weakness, paralysis, and, in extreme cases, death if the muscles that control breathing are affected. The virus spreads through contact with infected feces or airborne droplets from sneezing and coughing.
The CDC described the disease plainly in its advisory, saying: “Good hand washing practices can help prevent the spread of this disease. Because the virus that causes polio lives in the feces of an infected person, people infected with the disease can spread it to others when they do not wash their hands well after defecating.”
Polio was eradicated in the United States in 1979. Since then, only a small number of isolated cases have surfaced here. In the U.S., children receive the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) as a standard four-dose series in early childhood.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the global poliovirus situation an ongoing Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Pakistan alone confirmed 18 polio cases in 2025, following 74 reported cases in 2024. In total, the CDC’s advisory covers 41 countries.
The CDC recommends that adults 18 and older who previously completed the full polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose before traveling to any country on the advisory list. Families with children should ensure kids are fully vaccinated before departure.
The CDC continues to monitor other global health concerns at the Level 2 designation, including chikungunya, diphtheria, mpox, and yellow fever. No Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisories — which would urge Americans to reconsider or avoid travel entirely — are currently in effect. Travelers can check the latest updates at the CDC’s official global polio travel notice page.
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