Pakistan reports first polio case of 2024

DERA BUGTI: In an alarming development, Pakistan’s first polio case of the year 2024 was reported from Balochistan’s Dera Bugti, ARY News reported.

According to a spokesman for the National Ministry for Health, the poliovirus was found in a two-and-a-half-year-old child from Dera Bugti.

The sources privy to the development said that the samples from the child were collected on February 22 and tested at the National Institute of Health.

The polio-affected child belonged to Union Council No. 3 UC of Sui, Dera Bugti. The sources at the National Institute of Health said that the polio virus in the child is genetically related to Quetta.

“The affected child had received polio vaccination seven times in the routine immunization campaigns,” the sources said.

They added that the polio virus was detected in 46 sewage samples across the country this year. A special polio campaign in nine districts of Balochistan would start on March 24.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has reported six polio cases in 2023.

Earlier on February 26, a week-long nationwide anti-polio drive began in the country to administer vaccine drops to children under five years of age.

Pakistan aimed to vaccinate over 45.8 million children below the age of five during the second anti-polio campaign of this year

According to details, polio workers visited door to door to vaccinate anti-polio drops to children below the age of five.

Children were also given Vitamin A supplements to boost their immunity.