Pakistan's 18th poliovirus case of this year reported from Quetta

The number of poliovirus cases in Pakistan has mounted to 18th with the fresh one reported in Balochistan’s Quetta city on Thursday.

According to officials, a 24-month-old boy in Quetta was diagnosed with the highly infectious virus.

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the case. 

"This is the second polio case from Quetta district, the thirteenth from Balochistan, and the eighteenth in Pakistan," an official stated.

The data showed 13 cases of poliovirus were reported in Balochistan, while three were reported in Sindh, one in Punjab, and one in Islamabad.

The official mentioned that this case is 99.22 percent linked to the first case in Quetta, which was detected on April 29, 2024. 

A focal person of the anti-polio campaign, Ayesha Farooque, expressed deep concerns about the eradication of the polio virus in Balochistan and stressed the importance of vaccination of all children.

"What we are seeing is the outcome of missed vaccination opportunities in parts of Balochistan that allowed the virus to thrive and survive over time," she said.

She added that the higher number of cases on both sides of the border puts children at risk across the country, emphasising the importance of vaccines in dealing with the polio virus.