In June 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) renewed its global alert regarding the poliovirus emergency, highlighting several countries facing significant health risks.
According to a WHO Disease Outbreak News published on August 20, 205, Israel is confronting an unquantified health risk that has been detected in Jerusalem and the Central Region.
On August 4, 2025, Israel notified WHO of a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) outbreak.
Between February and July 2025, nine genetically linked virus isolates were found in environmental samples from seven sites. However, no human cases of paralytic polio have been reported.
Vaccine-derived poliovirus is a well-documented strain of poliovirus mutated from the strain contained initially in oral polio vaccines.
The WHO stated Israel discontinued routine use of the bivalent oral polio vaccine in March 2025 but continues to administer four doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) as part of the routine immunization schedule up to 12 months of age.
The WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage for three doses of IPV in 2024 were 98%.
Unfortunately, polio vaccination coverage in Jerusalem is notably lower and below the WHO’s recommended coverage threshold, which is necessary to maintain sufficient population immunity and prevent poliovirus transmission between people.
The WHO currently assesses the risk of international spread associated with this cVDPV1 detection as low due to high overall population immunity, robust poliovirus surveillance, and response capacity.
To alert international travelers visiting Israel, the U.S. CDC’s updated Level 2 – Practice Enhanced Precautions, Travel Health Advisory, includes Israel.
The CDC writes, ‘Before travel to any destination listed, adults who previously completed the routine polio vaccine series may receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.’
In the United States, the IPV polio vaccine is offered at travel clinics and pharmacies in 2025.