QUETTA: The first case of poliovirus in the year 2021 has been reported in Balochistan.
According to the health department, a 28-month-old child has been diagnosed with poliovirus in Qila Abdullah. A new case of polio has been reported from Union Council No. 1 in Qila Abdullah. A sample was taken from the affected child on 4th February to diagnose polio.
Parents of a child suffering from polio are refusing to vaccinate their children against polio. This is the first case of poliovirus in the province in 2021. Last year, 25 cases of poliovirus were reported in Balochistan.
The highest number of polio cases have been reported in the country from Balochistan. Health officials have been urging parents to get their children vaccinated to save them from becoming permanently disabled as vaccination is the only way to eradicate polio from the world.
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As many as 23 Polio cases have been confirmed during 2020 as of 21st October from 11 districts of Balochistan. Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years.
It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease.
Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free.
