Pakistan: Poliovirus detected in environmental samples from four provinces

This is the first time in 2025 that the virus has been found in environmental samples across the country, ARY News reported citing sources.

Sources revealed that sewage samples collected from January 6 to 15 tested positive for poliovirus in 26 districts. The affected districts include 15 from Sindh, 5 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 3 each from Balochistan and Punjab.

The detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples is a reason of worry for Pakistan, as it indicates the presence of the virus in the environment, ARY News reported.

In 2024, Pakistan reported 73 polio cases and collected over 480 polio-positive sewage samples nationwide, underscoring the critical need for comprehensive vaccination campaigns.

Earlier, sewage samples collected from the Mirpurkhas, Thatta, and Naushahro Feroze districts in Sindh have tested positive for Wild Polio virus Type 1, ARY News reported.

The samples, collected on December 23 and 24, confirm the presence of the virus in these areas. This discovery follows a troubling trend, with over 480 sewage samples testing positive for poliovirus in 2024 alone.

In 2024, Pakistan reported 73 polio cases and collected over 480 polio-positive sewage samples nationwide, according to ARY News.

Earlier, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the detection of a Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) case in the country. The lab reported a case involving a female child from Dera Ismail Khan, with the onset of the illness occurring on December 31, 2024.

Polio, a highly infectious disease, can cause paralysis and even death, with no cure available. However, vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completing the routine vaccination schedule for children under five are crucial to providing high immunity against polio. (ANI)