Afghan poliovirus detected in Peshawar, Pishin sewage samples

ISLAMABAD: Two environmental samples, taken from Pishin and Peshawar, tested positive for Afghan strain of the poliovirus, ARY News reported quoting health department.

Pakistan’s National Polio Laboratory has confirmed the detection of Wild Poliovirus Type-1 in the sewage samples collected this month from Pishin, Balochistan and Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the laboratory, the Peshawar sample is connected to the virus detected in Nangarhar and that of Pishin to the virus in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

This is the 11th positive sample detected from district Peshawar this year, said an official.

Similarly, the other sewage sample was collected on September 04 from the neighbourhood of Turwa, Pishin district of Balochistan. It is the first positive sample from Balochistan province this year, said the official.

Meanwhile, the nationwide polio eradication campaign will kick-off from September 25 after polio virus was detected in environmental sites in different cities, ARY News reported.

The campaign will be launched in three phase across the country, say sources, adding that the first phase will be launched from September 25, second from October 2 and final phase will be kicked-off from October 9 to 13.

The five-day campaign called Outbreak Response (OBR) will be held in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkha districts.