The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) has reported another polio case in the country, bringing the total number of cases to 50 this year, as reported by national media on Tuesday.
According to a report by ARY News, citing NEOC sources, the National Reference Lab identified the latest case involving a 20-month-old girl from Tank district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The report suggests that tests confirmed the presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1). This is the second polio case reported from Tank this year, with a genetic link established to a case from July 2024 in the same district.
Provincial breakdown shows that Balochistan remains the hardest hit, with 24 polio cases reported this year, followed by Sindh with 13, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 11, and Punjab and Islamabad each recording one case.
Meanwhile, authorities continue to emphasize the importance of polio vaccination campaigns to curb the spread of the virus, particularly in high-risk areas, as the current rise in polio cases raises concerns in the country.
According to sources, international organizations have called on Pakistan to implement emergency measures, while Pakistan has assured these organizations that swift action will be taken to control polio.
Furthermore, these organizations, which work to combat the virus, are likely to visit Pakistan later this month, where polio cases remain a major concern, as this disease causes children under the age of 5 to become disabled for life.
