Pakistan reports two new polio cases

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported two new cases of polio in Sindh and Punjab as tally reached five in 2025, ARY News reported.

The latest cases, confirmed by the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program, were detected in Qambar district in Sindh and Mandi Bahauddin district in Punjab. This brings the total number of polio cases in Pakistan to five since January 2025.

The latest development comes as health workers conclude a targeted vaccination drive in high-risk areas later Friday. Earlier this month, authorities launched a weeklong nationwide anti-polio campaign aiming to immunize 44.2 million children under the age of five.

Escorted by police, polio teams go door-to-door to administer the oral vaccine. Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to protect them have been killed in attacks.

There were 74 polio cases recorded in 2024, the previous year. Of them, one each came from Punjab and Islamabad, while 27 came from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 23 from Sindh.

Also read: Poliovirus detected in sewage samples from four districts

According to authorities, the first nationwide polio campaign of 2025 was successfully concluded, with 99% of the targets achieved across the country.

The campaign was conducted from February 3 to 9, 2025. During this campaign, more than 45 million children were administered the polio vaccine.

Polio

Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.

The Pakistan Polio Program conducts multiple mass vaccination drives in a year, bringing the vaccine to children at their doorsteps, while the Expanded Program on Immunization provides vaccinations against 12 childhood disease free of charge at health facilities.

It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected.