Islamabad: The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme reported the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in environmental samples from 20 districts, underscoring the persistent threat of polio and the need for comprehensive vaccination efforts. The positive samples were identified in key urban and rural areas, signaling ongoing risks to child health.

According to Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the virus’s presence in sewage samples collected from 26 environmental surveillance sites. Districts including Noshki and Mianwali recorded their first instances of the virus in environmental samples, while other districts such as Hyderabad, Lahore, and Karachi have seen repeated detections.

This concerning development has triggered a nationwide vaccination campaign aimed at immunizing over 45 million children under five years of age against the paralytic disease. The programme emphasizes the critical importance of administering oral polio vaccine drops to all eligible children to mitigate the spread of polio and move towards eradicating the disease in Pakistan.