WHO surveillance flags rise in AFP cases in Pune

WHO and PMC report 41 Acute Flaccid Paralysis cases in Pune in 2025, up from 30 in 2024, reflecting improved surveillance, not an outbreak.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in coordination with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), has recorded 41 cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) in Pune in 2025, up from 30 cases in 2024, officials said on Wednesday. The increase reflects strengthened surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases rather than an outbreak.

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AFP surveillance is a key component of India’s polio monitoring system, acting as an early warning to detect possible poliovirus circulation and helping sustain India’s polio-free status achieved in 2014.

AFP is defined as sudden weakness or paralysis in one or more limbs without prior injury. While poliovirus is one cause, it can also result from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, viral infections, or other neurological conditions, officials said.

Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health chief of PMC, said, “Every AFP case is thoroughly investigated to rule out poliovirus. The increase reflects better field-level vigilance rather than a higher disease burden. Sewage samples are also tested across the city to detect traces of the virus.”

Alongside AFP monitoring, Pune has seen a notable decline in measles and rubella (MR) cases, moving closer to the state and national target of MR-free status by 2026. The city reported only two Rubella cases in 2025, unchanged from 2024, while measles cases dropped from 10 in 2024 to 5 in 2025.

Dr Dighe added, “The reduction in MR cases is due to high immunisation coverage, active surveillance, rapid outbreak response, and community awareness campaigns conducted across the city.”