WHO: Polio paralyzes 7 children in Tajikistan

LONDON - LONDON (AP) - The World Health Organization says it is sending a team to investigate a polio outbreak in Tajikistan.

The country is in Central Asia, but the WHO has grouped Tajikistan into its Europe region.

Therefore, the agency said Friday it was the first outbreak of the paralytic disease in Europe since WHO certified the region as polio free in 2002.

WHO says figures from last week show at least seven children in Tajikistan have been paralyzed by the waterborne disease, with more than 100 suspect cases.

Tajikistan borders Afghanistan, one of four countries where polio is still endemic.

For every child paralyzed by polio, there are several hundred other children infected who show no symptoms but can pass on the disease.