Islamabad – The spread of the polio virus in Pakistan is on the rise, with the virus now confirmed in sewage samples from eight districts across the country. According to the Regional Reference Laboratory at the National Institute of Health, wild polio virus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in sewage samples collected from various areas.
The affected districts include Dera Ismail Khan, Charsadda, Rawalpindi, Qambar, Jamshoro, Quetta, Barkhan, and Mastung, where the presence of the polio virus has raised significant concerns.
As of this year, a total of 63 polio cases have been reported nationwide, with the highest number – 26 cases – from Balochistan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 18 cases, Sindh 17, and one case each from Punjab and Islamabad.
In a worrying development, Charsadda has confirmed its first-ever positive polio case this year through sewage samples. The increasing spread of the virus poses a serious threat to children’s health across the country, raising concerns over the resurgence of this dangerous disease.
Health authorities are intensifying vaccination efforts and urging immediate action to prevent further outbreaks, as the nation works toward the eradication of polio.
