Polio virus detected in 12 districts of country

ISLAMABAD: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at Pakistan’s National Institute of Health has confirmed detection of polio virus in sewerage lines in 12 districts of three provinces, ARY News reported.

The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio has confirmed presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in environment samples.

According to sources, the Regional Reference Laboratory has confirmed the presence of the polio virus in samples collected from 12 districts of the country.

The samples were collected from sewage lines between February 17 to 26, and the results revealed the presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in several districts.

Sewerage samples found positive in Punjab’s five districts, Baluchistan’s four and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s three districts.

In Punjab, Lahore, Multan, Kasur, Bahawalpur and D.G. Khan districts had polio-positive sewage.

In Baluchistan, Quetta, Sibi, Dera Bugti and Lasbela and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, South Waziristan, Charsadda and Swabi, were found to have polio-positive sewage.

Sewerage samples were collected from 127 places across the country for polio virus testing, NEOC has stated.

Pakistan has reported six polio cases this year, with four reported from Sindh, one each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

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

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 crippling disease.