In an announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on World Polio Day (October 24), an independent commission of experts declared that wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) has been eradicated worldwide.
This follows the eradication of smallpox and wild poliovirus type 2.
With this, 2 out of 3 wild poliovirus strains have been eradicated.
Efforts are being taken to eliminate the wild poliovirus type 1.
This virus remains in circulation in just two countries - Afghanistan and Pakistan.
There are three individual and immunologically distinct wild poliovirus strains