Polio in Pakistan: 41st wild poliovirus case reported

Officials have confirmed the detection of the 41st wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case in Pakistan. On Friday, 25 October 2024, the lab confirmed detection of type-1 wild poliovirus in a child from Loralai District of Balochsitan, who had onset of paralysis on 8 October 2024.

This is the first polio case from Loralai and the 41st case from Pakistan at large this year. So far, 21 cases have been reported from Balochistan, 12 from Sindh, six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

Concerning environmental samples, The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in the Environmental (Sewage) Samples collected from the 16 already infected districts.

Sewage sample collected from Lahore, Dera Ghazi Khan, Chaman, Shaheed Benazirabad, Badin, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Karachi West, Karachi Keamari, Sujawal, Dadu, Kambar, Karachi East, Jacobabad, Peshawar and Islamabad tested positive for WPV1, as of October 25, 2024.

All districts have previously reported virus detection – either in humans or sewage samples, making them WPV1 infected districts and highlight the risk to children’s well-being.

A nationwide polio vaccination campaign is being launched from October 28 to vaccinate more than 45 million children under the age of five against paralytic polio.

In Afghanistan, the other remaining polio endemic country, reported an additional WPV1 case from Hilmand province, Masaqalah district, in the south region. This new case brings the total number of WPV1 cases in the county to 23.

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This brings the global WPV1 total to 64, up from 12 cases in 2023.

Thursday was World Polio Day, and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif made the following statement:

Today, on World Polio Day, we unite to raise awareness and renew our commitment to eradicating polio—a disease that has impacted millions of children. Pakistan stands with the global community in this mission. Our government is steadfast in its efforts to make Pakistan polio-free, ensuring a future where no child is affected by this preventable disease. Due to the tireless work of our health workers and international partners like WHO, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we have made significant progress in reducing polio cases. However, challenges remain, including security concerns, misinformation, and access to remote areas. Despite these obstacles, our health workers continue to work bravely to vaccinate every child. We are improving health infrastructure, increasing vaccine coverage, and combating misinformation through our National Emergency Action Plan. Our regional collaboration, especially with Afghanistan, is vital to controlling cross-border transmission. This fight is about more than polio—it’s about building a robust public health system and safeguarding the health of future generations. I urge all parents to vaccinate their children and call on community leaders to spread the message of polio eradication. Pakistan is committed to becoming polio-free, and together, with the support of our citizens and global partners, we will achieve this goal.