Pakistan reports 6th polio case of 2024

Pakistan has reported its sixth polio case of 2024, involving an 18-month-old toddler from Qilla Abdullah district in Balochistan, according to health sources.

The Balochistan health department noted that this marks the province's fifth polio case this year.

Nationally, Pakistan has reported six polio cases in 2024, with five originating from Balochistan and one from Sindh.

This is the second polio case reported from the Qilla Abdullah district.

Previously, polio cases in Balochistan were also identified in Dera Bugti, Chaman, and Quetta.

According to the technical summary, the child experienced a high-grade fever on June 1, 2024, and developed weakness in the right leg by June 3, 2024, as reported by the parents.

The onset was sudden and progressed rapidly.

The child was taken to local healthcare providers and was notified at Al-Khair private hospital in Quetta on June 8, 2024. The case was then investigated and classified as urgent based on clinical findings on June 9.

"The child has not received any OPV doses in SIAs or RI, except for the birth dose of OPV and BCG (with scar present). There is no history of any intramuscular injection in the last 24 hours prior to the onset of paralysis," the report stated, adding that there was no travel history of the child prior to the onset of paralysis.