Pakistan has suffered another setback in its efforts to eliminate polio, as a new case of paralysis was confirmed in a child from Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the reports.
This recent case brings the total number of Wild Poliovirus Type-1 (WPV1) infections in Pakistan to 48 this year, with 10 reported in the northwestern province alone.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad confirmed the infection on Saturday, noting that DI Khan remains an area of ongoing polio transmission.
Currently, genetic sequencing of the child’s samples is being conducted to track transmission pathways and refine vaccination efforts in response.
This case follows the detection of another polio infection earlier in the week in Sindh’s Ghotki district, marking the district’s first case this year and highlighting the virus’s reach into new regions.
Balochistan has reported the highest number of cases this year at 23, followed by Sindh with 13, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 10, and one case each in Punjab and Islamabad.
Pakistan remains one of only two countries where wild poliovirus has yet to be eradicated.
Ongoing transmission is linked to challenges such as security issues, misinformation, and community resistance, which hinder vaccination efforts.
Health officials continue to encourage parents to participate in regular vaccination campaigns as Pakistan battles polio’s persistence as one of only two endemic countries.
Polio, a highly contagious virus affecting mainly young children, can cause paralysis or even death by attacking the nervous system.
Although there is no cure, immunization is widely considered the most effective protection against polio.
