Poliovirus detected in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district

Gilgit-Baltistan: The presence of the poliovirus has been confirmed in environmental samples from the region.

According to a report from the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio at the National Institute of Health, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in a sewage (environmental) sample collected from the Diamer district.

A government official stated that following this detection, a special polio vaccination campaign was carried out from July 14 to 18 in Diamer and adjacent districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during which 159,525 children were administered oral polio vaccine.

He further added that the Polio Eradication Programme is strictly following a robust vaccination schedule to protect children from the paralyzing effects of the virus and to prevent its spread.

Additional immunization campaigns will continue in the coming weeks.

A special anti-polio drive will also be conducted from July 21 to 25 in border union councils of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to align with Afghanistan's sub-national polio campaign.