18th Polio Case of 2024 Reported from Quetta

The National Emergency Operations Centre confirmed Pakistan's 18th wild poliovirus case of 2024, in a child from Quetta.

The Quetta block

Quetta is the anchor of what the programme calls the Quetta block — together with Killa Abdullah and Chaman, an area where wild poliovirus transmission has continued essentially without interruption for as long as records exist. Alongside the Peshawar and Karachi corridors, it is one of the three historical core reservoirs of poliovirus in Pakistan.

Why transmission persists here

• Cross-border movement. Quetta is the main urban hub for movement to and from southern Afghanistan. Virus strains have repeatedly been shown by sequencing to move in both directions.
• Dense, underserved settlements. Parts of the city have poor sanitation and shared water sources — the conditions poliovirus spreads most efficiently in.
• Refusal clusters. Specific communities have resisted vaccination over long periods, leaving pockets of unvaccinated children that persist across many campaign rounds.
• Weak routine immunisation. Low EPI coverage means children depend almost entirely on campaign drops.
• Security constraints. Attacks on frontline workers in Balochistan have at times restricted where and how teams can operate.

What sustained presence requires

Because the reservoir is permanent rather than episodic, the programme treats Quetta differently: more frequent campaign rounds, closer supervision, dedicated community engagement with specific resistant settlements, transit point vaccination for mobile families, and continuous environmental surveillance. Sewage samples from Quetta have tested positive repeatedly even in periods with no reported cases — evidence that the virus never left.

The wider 2024 picture

Balochistan recorded 27 cases in 2024, the highest of any province, and Pakistan recorded 74 nationally against six the year before. The Quetta block's contribution to that total reflects a long-standing structural problem rather than a sudden failure.

For families in Quetta

Two drops in every round, for every child under five, every time — including children vaccinated in the previous campaign. Complete the routine immunisation schedule. If a team does not reach your household, call 1166.

Related: case from Killa Abdullah · high-risk areas · surveillance