48th polio case of 2024 reported in Pakistan

A new case of poliovirus was reported from Dera Ismail Khan on Saturday bringing the total number of such cases in the country this year to 48, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

National Institute of Health (NIH) collected samples from victim child and its genetic processing underway.

This is the third poliovirus case reported from Dera Ismail Khan during the current year.

According to media reports, polio once again is spreading in Pakistan, where officials say more than 1 million children missed their vaccination doses last month, underscoring the challenges they face in eradicating one of the world’s most intractable diseases.

Pakistani officials reported more than a dozen new polio cases in October, bringing the total number of infections this year to 48, compared to just six last year when the South Asian country appeared to be on the verge of eliminating the virus.

Ayesha Raza, the Focal Person to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Polio Eradication, blamed the recent uptick in cases on low vaccine uptake. She said about 1 million children missed their polio vaccinations in September, compounding a pre-existing immunity gap that has been growing since Covid-19 disrupted immunization efforts.

Reporter: Babar Shahzad