Islamabad: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication has confirmed the presence of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in environmental samples from two new districts, alongside 11 districts already affected. This development signals a broader challenge in the fight against polio in the country.

According to Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, as of November 29, 2024, sewage samples collected between November 5 and November 11 from Kashmore, Larkana, DG Khan, Lahore, Jacobabad, Hyderabad, Karachi Malir, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi Korangi, Sukkur, Peshawar, and Quetta tested positive for WPV1. So far this year, 56 polio cases have emerged, posing a risk to children across the nation from this debilitating disease.

While polio remains incurable, it is preventable with multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, which the Polio Programme delivers to children at their doorsteps several times annually. The next mass vaccination drive is scheduled for mid-December, aiming to reach over 44 million children. Parents and caregivers are urged to ensure that their children under the age of five receive the vaccine’s two drops to guard against polio’s paralyzing effects.