German health authorities have confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in an environmental sample collected from routine wastewater surveillance in Hamburg during the week of 6 October 2025. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was notified of the finding on 10 November 2025.
Genetic sequencing shows that the virus is linked to a WPV1 strain last identified in an environmental sample from Kandahar, Afghanistan, on 24 August 2025. Importantly, no cases of paralysis or other clinical signs of polio have been reported in Germany, and the virus has been detected only in wastewater.
Health officials have also confirmed that this finding is unrelated to circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), which has been detected in Germany in recent months. Like the newly detected WPV1, the cVDPV2 strains were also found only through environmental surveillance and have not been associated with any human infections.
GPEI partners are working closely with national and local health authorities through WHO/Europe to support ongoing investigations, assess risks, and determine whether further public health measures are necessary. Germany’s strong routine immunization coverage and well-established environmental surveillance system enabled the early detection of the virus, offering an opportunity to respond swiftly and safeguard communities.
This event serves as a reminder that until polio is eradicated globally, all countries remain vulnerable to virus importation and potential re-infection. It reinforces the need for sustained high vaccination coverage, strong disease surveillance, and international cooperation to achieve and maintain a polio-free world.
