Story maps
故事地圖
Eradicating Polio 讓小兒麻痺症絕跡
©2012 SpatioEpi.com
Data source: World Health Organization
Map created by CUHK SpatioEpi Group
Thanks to global efforts in the last two decades, the number of polio cases has fallen by more than 99%. To underscore the importance of immunization, World Immunization Week is observed from 21-28 April this year.
As depicted by graduated colours, the coverage of the 3rd dose of polio vaccines in infants was generally higher than 80% in polio-free countries. Coloured country borders indicate different levels of poliovirus transmission. After removal of India from the list of polio endemic countries in February 2012, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan are the three remaining countries with indigenous wild poliovirus transmission. Currently, the geographic area affected by polio is the smallest in history. However, efforts for polio eradication should not slack off as re-established transmission and imported cases have continued to be reported in some countries with low coverage of polio vaccines.
Data for the map were obtained from World Health Organization.
透過過去二十年全球的共同努力，小兒麻痺症的病例數目已有超過九成九的減幅。為了強調接種疫苗的重要性，今年的四月二十一至二十八日已被定為世界免疫週。
依圖中顏色所示，成功根除小兒麻痺症的國家中，嬰孩三次接種小兒麻痺疫苗的覆蓋率普遍超過八成。另外，顏色國界標示各國小兒麻痺症的流行程度。2012年2月，印度被正式宣佈成為根除小兒麻痺症的國家。全球流行小兒麻痺症的國家只剩下阿富汗、尼日尼亞及巴基斯坦三國，令現時受小兒麻痺症影響的地區縮至歷史上最小。縱然如此，一些小兒麻痺疫苗低覆蓋率的國家正受外地傳入的病例所威脅，因此消滅小兒麻痺症的工作仍不可鬆懈。
地圖資料源自世界衛生組織。
Related Article
Poliomyelitis 小兒麻痺症
What is poliomyelitis? 什麼是小兒麻痺症?
Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus, which can invade the central nervous system. Most infected people are asymptomatic, but some shows initial symptoms including fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, neck stiffness and pain in the limbs. Incubation period usually lasts for 7 to 14 days.
Most patients recover from the infection but some may develop irreversible paralysis, permanent disability and death.
小兒麻痺症（又稱脊髓灰質炎）是由脊髓灰質炎病毒引致的疾病，具高度傳染性。病毒可侵入中樞神經系統，引致嚴重併發症。大部分患者均沒有任何明顯病癥，少部分患者或出現發燒、疲倦、頭痛、嘔吐、頸部僵硬及四肢疼痛等癥狀。潛伏期一般為7至14天。
大部分患者均可自行痊癒，但部分嚴重病例有機會導致不可逆轉的癱瘓、永久傷殘或死亡。
How does it spread? 如何傳播?
Poliovirus is spread from person-to-person, mainly through faecal-oral route. The virus enters human body through the mouth and multiplies in the intestine.
Children under five years old are the most susceptible group.
脊髓灰質炎病毒主要經糞口途徑人傳人，病毒經口進入人體，然後於腸臟繁殖。
小兒麻痺症主要影響五歲以下的兒童。
Vaccine? Prevention? 如何預防?
There is no cure for poliomyelitis, but vaccination is effective to prevent the disease. Oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine are two available polio vaccines in the world.
Children should follow the recommended schedule of local childhood immunization programme for vaccination. Parents should take extra precautions in the hygiene practices when caring for polio infected children, whose stool may contain the virus.
現時並沒有特效藥物治療小兒麻痺症，但接種疫苗可有效預防此病。小兒麻痺口服劑及滅活小兒麻痺疫苗均是兩種有效預防小兒麻痺症的疫苗。
兒童應根據當地的免疫接種計劃的時間表接種疫苗。另外，因患病兒童的糞便會帶有病毒，家長於照顧患者時須加倍注意衛生。
Related maps 相關地圖
Other resources 其他資訊
Organisations 有關機構
Further information 詳細資料
- The Global Polio Eradication Initiative
- Poliomyelitis, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, HKSAR
- Poliomyelitis, WHO
- World Immunization Week 2012