ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported yet another poliovirus case taking the national tally to 42 cases detected in 2024, the latest case was registered in Nowshera District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP) said.

According to PPEP, on June 8th first polio virus case was reported in Quetta provincial capital city of Balochistan while the latest wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case has been reported in Nowshera.

In August 2024, Pakistan has reported seven poliovirus cases. The National Institute of Health has notified the 42nd polio case of the year from Nowshera where polio virus was detected in a child.

According to PPEP, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of the 42nd Wild Poliovirus Type-1 (WPV1) case in Pakistan. On Tuesday, 29 October 2024, the lab confirmed detection of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus in a child from Nowshera District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. This is the first polio case from Nowshera and the 42nd case from Pakistan at large this year.

Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the child is underway. A nationwide polio vaccination campaign is currently underway in the country (28 October – 3 November) to vaccinate more than 45 million children under the age of five against paralytic polio. It is critical for parents to open their door to vaccinators during this drive and ensure that all children in their care receive two drops of the crucial oral polio vaccine to keep them protected from the devastating effects of polio.

This year 21 out of 42 poliovirus cases have been detected in Balochistan, 12 in Sindh province, one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Punjab while seven poliovirus case was reported KPK province where most of the cases have been reported in September and October.

In KPK and Balochistan provinces most poliovirus cases are reported in regions bordering Afghanistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024