No sign of a let-up in Pakistan’s fight against polio as four new cases of polio emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Saturday.
According to details, new polio cases surfaced in Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Upper and Lower Kohistan of the province. A three-month-old girl from Baist Khel area in Lakki Marwat contracted polio. The infant reportedly was not administered polio drops.
Sample of a 10-month-old boy in Jani Khel area of Bannu was also sent to a laboratory which confirmed poliovirus in his body. “The child during a short span had taken only five doses out of the additional doses and only one dose of the routine immunisation,” said the report.
Poliovirus was also found in the sample of a girl child in Tehsil Pattan of Kohistan. Her samples were sent to the national institute of health in Islamabad on October 27.
Similarly, the same virus was found in a five-year-old girl child in Tehsil Dasu of Upper Kohistan.
According to an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio, the number of children affected by the poliovirus soared to 68 in the current year while the total number of polio cases in the country reached 91.
“Lakki Marwat and Bannu have become high-risk districts for polio cases in 2019 as 15 and 24 polio cases were reported in both the districts respectively. Polio cases from Lower and Upper Kohistan have been reported for the first time this year,” said EOC.
Amongst other districts, eight polio cases were reported in North Waziristan, seven in Tor Ghar and two in Hangu. One polio case each was reported in Bajaur, Charsadda, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Shangla, Tank and South Waziristan.
Separately, Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio in Sindh has confirmed that three more polio case have been reported from Sindh province, bringing the total number of cases to 13.
Abdullah son of Asif, resident of Keamari, District West Karachi, Bisma daughter of Bhai Khan resident of Shaheed Benazirabad and Hina daughter of Naeem Khashkhli resident of Jamshoro are the new polio virus patients in Sindh province.
A total 13 confirmed polio cases have been reported in Sindh province this year so far.
Polio eradication has faced difficulties in 2019 with the total case count now standing at 91, with 66 cases from KPK, 13 cases from Sindh, 7 cases from Balochsitan and 5 cases from Punjab.
An anti-polio drive will begin from December 16, 2019 in Sindh and there will be regular campaigns till June 2020.
