Polio cases rise to 41 in Pakistan after another child paralysed

• Balochistan's reports highest poliovirus tally standing at 21.
• 42-month-old girl experienced nset of paralysis on October 8. 
• PEI official urges parents to vaccinate children against virus.

ISLAMABAD: In continuation of the alarming spread of poliovirus, the country's total tally for the ongoing year has risen to 41 after wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in a 42-month-old girl from Loralai District, Balochistan, The News reported on Saturday.

Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) has said that the child experienced the onset of paralysis on October 8 and laboratory tests, on Friday, confirmed that she had contracted WPV1.

The development comes as the government, in its bid to tackle the virus's spread, is set to kick off a nationwide anti-polio vaccine campaign on October 28.

The latest case marks the first confirmed polio case in the Loralai district and highlights a troubling trend with the province emerging as an area of intense polio transmission this year.

So far, the province has reported 21 of the 41 cases in Pakistan, with other cases spread across Sindh (12), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (six), and one each in Punjab and Islamabad.

Although this is the first recorded case from the district, officials indicate the virus may have been present in the area for months, as four consecutive sewage samples from Loralai have tested positive since June, signalling sustained virus circulation.

Genetic sequencing of samples collected from the infected is underway to understand more about the virus’s transmission patterns.

A senior official with the national PEI expressed concern over the extent of WPV1 transmission in the country, emphasising that Loralai is not an isolated case.

"Balochistan's first case in Loralai adds to a disturbing picture [...] and we now have 204 positive environmental samples from 71 districts across Pakistan. The virus is circulating in many areas, with cases emerging undetected, which is alarming," said the official.

With Pakistan being one of only two countries where wild poliovirus transmission has not been eradicated, health officials are urging parents to actively participate in the upcoming nationwide polio vaccination campaign.

The campaign, led by Pakistan's polio programme, aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five. Officials stress the importance of full participation as incomplete vaccination coverage leaves communities vulnerable to the continued spread and resurgence of polio.

The urgency of the campaign is underscored by the virus’s persistence, which officials say is due to various challenges in vaccination coverage, including vaccine refusals, high population movement, and gaps in reaching remote areas.

The PEI official noted that while polio teams have made significant efforts in many parts of the country, the virus’s resilience requires stronger collaboration from local communities.

"Parents must open their doors to vaccinators and ensure every child receives two drops of the oral polio vaccine to shield them from the lifelong effects of polio," he emphasised.

Since its launch in 1994, Pakistan's polio eradication programme has largely contained the virus. However, recent genetic traces show that WPV1 is still circulating in previously controlled areas.

The current challenge is to eliminate polio’s final strongholds through ongoing vaccinations and public cooperation. As the October 28 vaccination drive approaches, health authorities stress the need for vaccinations in high-risk areas to protect future generations from paralysis.