Country Reports Fourth Polio Case In Karachi

News Desk

Islamabad: A fourth polio case is reported in Pakistan this year after a 24-month-old child was diagnosed with polio in Karachi district, reported the Ministry of Health on Saturday.

Meanwhile, poliovirus has been confirmed in environmental samples from four districts of Pakistan: Karachi, Rawalpindi, Chaman and Peshawar.

Health Caretaker Minister Dr Nadeem Jan expressed concern over the recent surge in polio cases and environmental samples testing positive for the virus and assured that the government has taken emergency measures to eradicate polio.

Pakistan has the world’s most sensitive polio surveillance system as rapid confirmation of the virus in environmental samples demonstrates that the system is working efficiently, stated Dr Jan.

Genetic testing has revealed that the virus found in all the samples belongs to the poliovirus cluster in Afghanistan.

We have organised many polio campaigns this year and in November, in the areas where the virus is present, the children would be vaccinated through a campaign, CM added.

Dr Nadeem urged parents to give polio drops to children in every campaign.