The push to eradicate poliomyelitis in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Editorial).

The Eastern Mediterranean Region, and the world, has never been closer to eradicating poliomyelitis. Wild poliovirus transmission is at the lowest levels in history and is limited to a few zones in the two remaining polio-endemic countries - Afghanistan and Pakistan. As at 30 October 2017, only 13 cases of poliomyelitis due to wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV 1) had been reported in the Region in 2017: 8 from Afghanistan and 5 from Pakistan. These two countries collectively reported 33 cases in 2016, 74 in 2015, and 334 in 2014.