Poliovirus detected in environmental sample in Peshawar

ISLAMABAD: Poliovirus has been detected in an environmental sample in KP’s capital Peshawar, ARY News reported on Thursday quoting the Ministry of National Health Services.

According to a statement released by the ministry, the number of positive environmental samples in the country this year has reached 15 and the polio virus is genetically related to the virus found in Afghanistan.

Federal Secretary Ministry Of National Health Services Iftikhar Ali Shallwani has said that several polio campaigns are being organized in the country and all necessary measures are being taken to eradicate polio.

He said Pakistan Polio Program is determined to eradicate polio from the country. He urged parents to administer polio drops to children in every campaign.

Earlier in July, an environmental sample collected from Peshawar had tested positive for wild poliovirus.

According to the Pakistan Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health, the virus was detected in a sewage sample collected from the Naray Khuwar site and is genetically linked to poliovirus in circulation in neighbouring Afghanistan.