Islamabad: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed three new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 in Pakistan, increasing the total number of cases this year to 55. The newly reported cases involve children from DI Khan, Zhob, and Jaffarabad districts.

According to Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, the recent detections include female children from DI Khan and Zhob and a male child from Jaffarabad. DI Khan, noted as one of the seven polio-endemic districts in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has reported its sixth case this year. Meanwhile, the latest cases mark the third for Zhob and the second for Jaffarabad in 2023.

Pakistan is grappling with a significant resurgence of the virus, with 55 cases reported across the country. The distribution of cases includes 26 in Balochistan, 14 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 13 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad. Polio remains a paralyzing disease with no cure, emphasizing the importance of administering multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine to all children under five years of age.

The Pakistan Polio Programme continues its efforts to combat the outbreak through multiple annual mass vaccination campaigns, ensuring vaccines reach children at their doorsteps. Additionally, the Expanded Programme on Immunization offers free vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at nearby health facilities. Amid the ongoing outbreak, health officials stress the urgent need for parents to vaccinate their young children to maintain high immunity levels against polio.