Pakistan's 18th polio case in 2025 reported in KP’s Tank

Tank: A newly confirmed case of polio in Khyber Paktunkhwa’s Tank district has brought the total number of polio cases in Pakistan this year to 18.

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad confirmed on Friday.

According to a press release by the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme confirmed that a 10-month-old boy from Union Council Mullazai in Tank district was confirmed as the 11th polio case from KP this year, bringing the country’s total number of cases in 2025 to 18. Last year, 74 cases were reported nationwide.

“The continued detection of polio cases underscores the persistent threat to children, particularly in areas with low vaccine acceptance,” the press release said. “It is crucial for communities to understand that poliovirus can re-emerge wherever immunity gaps persist.”

According to the press release, six campaigns, including four nationwide, have each reached over 45 million children since September 2024.