The World Health Organisation has said that Malawi recorded the first polio outbreak in Africa after four years.
Polio is a contagious infectious disease and can cause paralysis and death.
WHO said the wild type 1 poliovirus was discovered in a child in the city of Lilongwe.
It said laboratory tests had shown that it had apparently been brought in from Pakistan.
“As long as wild polio exists anywhere in the world all countries remain at risk of importation of the virus” said WHO regional director, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.
She said the organisation will support local health authorities in the south-east African country to ensure that the case remained isolated and did not spread.
Except for Afghanistan and Pakistan, all countries in the world have beaten the wild polioviruses.
In Africa, the last case was registered in Nigeria in 2018.
