Alarming surge in polio cases in Pakistan: 4 new cases reported

Pakistan is facing a concerning rise in polio cases, with four new infections reported from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad. The latest cases bring the total number of polio cases in the country this year to 37.

The NIH confirmed that three children from Balochistan and one from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been diagnosed with poliovirus type 1. The affected children in Balochistan include a girl from Pishin, as well as one child each from Chaman and Nushki. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a girl from Laki Marwat has also tested positive for the virus.

So far in 2024, the breakdown of polio cases by region includes 20 from Balochistan, 10 from Sindh, 5 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Health authorities are on high alert as the spread of the virus continues to raise concerns about vaccination coverage and public health safety across the country.