Two more cases of polio virus surface in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

ISLAMABAD: In what is being seen as a setback for the government’s efforts to eliminate polio virus in the country, two new cases of polio virus have surfaced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, increasing the total of this year’s cases to 26, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Well-informed sources within the health ministry say the two cases have been reported from two Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts. One of them was confirmed from a stool sample of a 21-month old baby girl of Wazir tehsil of Bannu.

The victim’s samples were taken on June 8.

The second case was reported from Mamakhail UC of Lakki Marwat district where 15-month old boy was tested positive for polio virus.

It is noteworthy that thus far three cases each have been reported from Punjab and Sindh provinces whereas 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and seven from the newly merged tribal districts of the province this year.

Earlier this month, sewage samples collected from gutters of 11 sampling sites in the metropolis had confirmed prevalence of polio virus in Karachi.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had collected samples in Karachi to assess prevalence of the crippling virus in the city.

According to sources, the samples were collected from gutters in Karachi during the period from April 05 to May 16.

The WHO gathered samples from 11 localities in the city to examine the situation of polio virus.

The samples were collected from sampling sites of Hijrat Colony, Machhar Colony, Khameso Goth, Rashid Minhas Road, Korangi, Bakhtawar Village Landhi, Haji Mureed Goth, Sohrab Goth, Mohammad Khan Colony, Orangi Nallah, Orangi Colony and PIDC Colony.