Polio virus detected in environmental samples of 21 districts

Islamabad: According to an official of the National Polio Program, the presence of polio virus has been confirmed in environmental samples collected from 21 districts.

According to a media report, 38 environmental (sewage) samples collected from 30 districts were tested at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Control at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.

Wild polio virus type 1 (WPV1) was found in sewage samples taken from Loralai, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bannu, DI Khan, Peshawar, Tank, North Waziristan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Badin, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Kashmore, Karachi East, Karachi Malir, Karachi Korangi, Karachi South, and Sukkur.

Samples collected from Noshki, Sibi, Charsadda, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Swat, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Rajanpur have tested negative.

This year, the country has reported eight cases of poliovirus, compared to two cases in three days last month.

Officials say Pakistan may see repeated cases in the coming weeks and months as the high transmission season has just begun, with the virus becoming active in high temperatures.

An official said the polio program is running a robust vaccination campaign to protect children from paralytic polio and prevent transmission of the virus.

He stated that since September 2024, high-quality campaigns have led to a decline in polio cases across the country.

The next nationwide polio campaign is scheduled from May 26 to June 1, with the aim of vaccinating 45.4 million children under the age of 5 across the country.