One more case of poliovirus reported from Balochistan, takes tally to 65

One more case of polio has been confirmed in Pakistan, bringing the total number of cases of the virus reported this year from across the country to 65, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.

In the latest case, a one-and-a-half-year-old child has been diagnosed with the disease in Qila Abdullah, Balochistan from where so far 27 cases have been reported this year. 

Only a few days ago, the virus was detected in a child in Jacobabad, Sindh. According to the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC), so far four cases had been reported from the city during the ongoing year.

Pakistan is one of the two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where the number of polio cases has often remained high.

However, later their number dropped considerably until the recent surge, which prompted international health organisations to show concern. 

Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme explains that polio is a “paralyzing” disease with “no cure” and “the completion of the routine vaccination for all children under the age of five” just provides them “high immunity against this terrible disease.”

Successive governments have launched launched multiple vaccination drives including the one that kicked off last week which aims at inoculating about 44 million children across the country.

According to Prime Minister's Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, around 400,000 polio workers across 143 districts of the country will visit every household to administer polio drops to children under five years of age. 

Reporter: Babar Turk