Health authorities confirmed on Wednesday that a new case of poliovirus has been reported in the Chagai district of Balochistan, bringing the total number of cases in Pakistan to 43 this year.
The Poliovirus Type-1 (WPV1) was identified in a child from Chagai, according to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health.
This marks the first confirmed polio case in Chagai and highlights a concerning trend, as the province has become a hotspot for polio transmission this year.
To date, Balochistan has reported 22 cases, followed by Sindh with 12, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with seven, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
The lab indicated that genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the child is currently underway.
A nationwide polio vaccination campaign is ongoing, set to continue until November 3, with the goal of vaccinating over 45 million children under five against the virus.
As Pakistan is one of only two countries where wild poliovirus transmission remains, health officials are urging parents to actively engage in the nationwide vaccination efforts.
Officials emphasize the importance of full participation, as incomplete vaccination coverage leaves communities at risk of polio’s resurgence and continued spread.
The urgency of the campaign is heightened by the virus’s persistence, attributed to challenges in vaccination coverage, including vaccine refusals, high population movement, and difficulties in accessing remote areas.
Since its inception in 1994, Pakistan’s polio eradication program has largely contained the virus. However, recent genetic evidence indicates that WPV1 continues to circulate in areas that were previously under control.
The current goal is to eliminate the last strongholds of polio through ongoing vaccination efforts and public cooperation.
