Wild Poliovirus Found in Sewage Across 12 Pakistan Districts
The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio has confirmed the presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in environment samples.
According to sources, the Regional Reference Laboratory has confirmed the presence of the polio virus in samples collected from 12 districts of the country.
The samples were collected from sewage lines between February 17 to 26, and the results revealed the presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in several districts.
Sewerage samples found positive in Punjab’s five districts, Baluchistan’s four, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s three districts.
In Punjab, Lahore, Multan, Kasur, Bahawalpur, and D.G. Khan districts had polio-positive sewage.
In Baluchistan, Quetta, Sibi, Dera Bugti and Lasbela and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, South Waziristan, Charsadda and Swabi, were found to have polio-positive sewage.
Sewerage samples were collected from 127 places across the country for poliovirus testing, NEOC has stated.
Pakistan has reported six polio cases this year, with four reported from Sindh, one each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
There were 74 polio cases recorded in 2024, the previous year. Of them, one each came from Punjab and Islamabad, while 27 came from Baluchistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 23 from Sindh.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five are essential to provide children with high immunity against this crippling disease.
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