An outbreak of polio has been reported in Syria, where thousands of children have not been vaccinated because of the intense fighting in the region.  Health officials speculate that displaced children have been exposed to polio by fighters from Afghanistan and Pakistan, where polio remains endemic in some areas.

Cumming-Bruce, Nick. “U.N. Confirms an Outbreak of Polio in Syria.” New York Times, October 29, 2013.

URL: www.nytimes.com/2013/10/30/world/middleeast/un-confirms-polio-outbreak-in-syria.html?_r=1&