Environmental samples of three cities test positive for Poliovirus

ISLAMABAD: The environmental samples collected from Peshawar and Hub have tested positive for wild poliovirus, ARY News reported.

According to spokesperson Ministry of Health, Pakistan Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health (NIH), which also serves as the WHO Regional Reference Lab for poliovirus confirmed that genetic testing has linked the virus in all samples to the cluster circulating in Afghanistan.

He said that the genetic testing of the virus found in the sample from Lahore is still ongoing.

The spokesperson said that the continuous confirmation of the virus in environmental samples is a matter of concern to the Minister for Health.

Commenting on the situation, Minister for Health Dr. Nadeem Jan said that the ministry is planning more campaigns to keep children safe from the virus. He added that Pakistan has organized several polio campaigns this year.

Dr. Nadeem Jan said that it is the national duty of all of us to actively participate in the anti-polio campaign. He said that the government is ensuring integrated measures to eradicate polio. Dr. Nadeem Jan appealed to parents to give polio drops to their children during every polio campaign.