Poliovirus Detected in 47 Environmental Samples Across Pakistan

News Desk 

Islamabad: The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme has confirmed the presence of wild poliovirus type 1 in 47 environmental samples collected from across the country in May 2025, raising fresh concerns about ongoing transmission.

In an official statement released on Friday, the programme reported that out of 116 sewage samples collected from various districts for testing, 47 tested positive for the virus, while 69 were declared negative. The detection of the virus in over 40 percent of the samples indicates continued circulation of poliovirus in several regions.

The virus was found in sewage water from 34 districts nationwide. This includes 14 districts in Sindh, eight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six in Balochistan, four in Punjab, and one each in Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan.

“All 47 positive samples have been confirmed to contain the wild poliovirus type 1,” the statement said, adding that the recurring detection of the virus in environmental samples poses a significant threat to public health—especially to children.

Health officials warned that environmental surveillance findings point to ‘silent transmission’ of the virus in communities, even where no paralytic cases are reported. This silent spread underscores the urgency of maintaining high immunisation coverage.

“The continued presence of poliovirus in sewage samples highlights the importance of uninterrupted polio vaccination campaigns,” the statement added. “Parents are strongly urged to ensure that their children receive polio drops during every immunisation drive.”

Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries in the world where polio is still classified as endemic. Experts stress that sustained community cooperation and vigilant immunisation efforts are critical to stopping the virus from gaining a stronger foothold.