New cases in Sindh, KP push Pakistan polio tally to 48

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has identified two additional polio cases, with the most recent individuals affected by the debilitating virus located in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising the total number of cases for this year to 48 across the nation.

Additionally, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in environmental samples from two other districts, specifically Bajaur and Gujrat.

An official from the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the identification of two WPV1 cases.

“One of the cases involves a male child from Ghotki district in Sindh.”

Ghotki is adjacent to the districts of Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, and Shikarpur, where the virus has been reported earlier this year.

“This marks the first reported polio case in Ghotki. The second case involves a 28-month-old male child from Dera Ismail Khan district in KP. D.I. Khan is classified as one of the polio-endemic regions in southern KP and this is the third polio case recorded in Dera Ismail Khan and the 48th case overall in Pakistan this year. Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from this child is currently underway.

“To date, there have been 23 cases from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 10 from KP, and one case each from Punjab and Islamabad. The genetic sequencing of the samples taken from the child is still in progress,” he mentioned.

“It is crucial to administer the oral polio vaccine to ensure children are safeguarded against the disabilities caused by polio infection. The Polio Programme delivers the oral polio vaccine to families multiple times throughout the year, while the Expanded Programme for Immunisation offers vaccines for 12 childhood diseases at nearby health centers free of cost,” he added.