Pakistan has confirmed two new polio cases, bringing this year’s total to 21. The infections were found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, prompting health authorities to tighten vaccination measures in the affected districts.
Pakistan has reported two new polio cases, raising the country’s total to 21 this year. Health authorities have confirmed infections in Lower Kohistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Badin (Sindh), leading to stricter vaccination measures in these affected districts.
Details of New Cases
According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), a six-year-old girl from Union Council Pattan in Lower Kohistan and a 21-month-old girl from Union Council Matli-II in Badin have tested positive for the poliovirus. This brings the tally of polio cases to 13 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 6 in Sindh. Earlier this year, Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan each reported one case.
Polio Remains a Threat
Health officials reiterated that polio is an incurable disease and the only protection is timely and repeated vaccination. “Every missed child is a risk to all children,” the NEOC stressed in its statement.
Nationwide Campaign from September 1
To curb the spread, Pakistan will launch a nationwide polio vaccination campaign on September 1, during which millions of children under five will be administered drops. Special focus will be placed on high-risk districts, including areas where fresh cases have emerged.
Decline in Positive Samples
Last week, Pakistan recorded a decline in the presence of the polio virus in environmental samples, according to the latest laboratory report from the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). Out of 127 sewage samples collected from 87 districts, only 42 tested positive for the virus, while 75 samples were polio-free. Results for 10 samples are still awaited.
The NEOC report highlights progress in several provinces:
- Balochistan: 22 out of 23 samples were negative, with one testing positive.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 24 samples were polio-free, seven tested positive.
- Punjab: 15 samples were negative, 12 tested positive.
- Sindh: 10 negative, 19 positive.
- Islamabad: One negative sample, three virus-free samples reported.
- AJK & Gilgit-Baltistan: All samples tested negative for polio.
All tests were conducted at the National Institute of Health’s Polio Regional Laboratory in Islamabad, which plays a key role in monitoring environmental surveillance to detect poliovirus circulation.
