Islamabad, October 30, 2024-Yet another polio case has been reported in Pakistan on Wednesday, bringing the national count for 2024 to 43. The latest case was confirmed in Balochistan’s Chagai district.
Pakistan Polio Eradication Program said in press release that Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio is still endemic. Vaccination campaigns in Pakistan are often targeted by militants, complicating efforts to eradicate the disease. On Monday, Pakistan launched a week-long immunization drive, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of Pakistan’s 43rd case of Wild Poliovirus Type-1 (WPV1) in a child from Chagai district,” the program’s statement said.
So far this year, 22 cases have been reported in Balochistan, 12 in Sindh, seven in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad. Genetic sequencing of samples from the latest case is underway, authorities confirmed.
This latest polio case follows that of a 29-month-old girl from Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, marking the first instance from the region. Just prior to that, the 41st case had been reported in Balochistan’s Loralai district.
