Polio 2024: Additional case detected in Pakistan
In a follow-up on the polio situation in Pakistan in 2024, Pakistani health officials have confirmed Tuesday the 74th wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2024 in Shikarpur. The onset of the patient was December 15, 2024.
This is the second Polio case from Shikarpur for 2024.
Of the 74 cases reported in 2024, they are distributed as follows: 27 are from Balochistan, 23 from Sindh, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
To date in 2025, one WPV-1 case has been reported in Pakistan.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.
The Pakistan Polio Program conducts multiple mass vaccination drives in a year, bringing the vaccine to children at their doorsteps, while the Expanded Program on Immunization provides vaccinations against 12 childhood disease free of charge at health facilities. It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected.
The first nationwide polio campaign of 2025 has been successfully concluded, with 99% of the targets achieved across the country. The campaign was conducted from February 3 to 9, 2025.
During this campaign, more than 45 million children were administered the polio vaccine.