Polio Update – Islamabad – July 30, 2024 Sewage samples from one new district of Punjab and two previously positive districts of Balochistan have tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1).

According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, environmental samples collected between July 8 to July 11 from Bahawalnagar, Usta Muhammad and Hub contained WPV1.

With the virus reported in 55 districts of the country so far this year, it is essential for parents across the country to understand that this virus continues to pose a constant threat to the wellbeing of their children and make sure that all their children under the age of five are vaccinated repeatedly with the oral polio vaccine.

Polio is a devastating incurable disease that can leave a child paralyzed for life. Repeated vaccination is essential to protect children from disability caused by poliovirus. The Pakistan Polio Programme urges all parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are vaccinated against polio at every opportunity and have completed all routine vaccinations to protect them from 12 vaccine-preventable childhood diseases.

Note:

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free, except for the two endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

For further information, please contact: Ms Hania Naeem, Communications Officer, NEOC,

Contact No:+923431101988

Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.