Pakistan: Polio virus detected in sewage samples from 18 districts

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 23 : The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at Pakistan's National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of the Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in sewage samples from 18 districts across the country, according to ARY News.
The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio confirmed the presence of the virus in environmental samples collected from February 21 to March 6. These samples came from various sewage lines across all four provinces of Pakistan, as reported by ARY news.
The areas affected include 12 districts in Sindh, two districts each in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one district in Balochistan, and Islamabad.
Specifically, polio traces were found in sewage from districts such as Islamabad, Chaman in Balochistan, South Waziristan, and Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab. In Sindh, districts such as Badin, Dadu, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sujawal, Qambar, Sukkur, and Karachi East, West, Central, and Kemari were found to have the virus, ARY News reported.
While most districts tested positive, four areas showed no signs of the virus. This year, Pakistan has already reported six confirmed polio cases, with four cases from Sindh and one each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. In 2024, the country recorded 74 cases, primarily in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh, ARY News reported.
Polio remains a debilitating disease with no cure. Vaccination efforts are crucial, with the oral polio vaccine being a vital tool to protect children under five from this life-threatening illness. Ensuring that all children complete the vaccination schedule is essential for high immunity and the fight against polio in Pakistan, ARY News cited.
It is crucial to administer multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and ensure that all children under five complete the regular vaccination schedule to provide them with strong immunity against this debilitating disease.
Previously, Pakistan's Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the presence of poliovirus in sewage systems across 12 districts in three provinces.