Fifth polio case surfaces in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A new case of polio has been reported in Pakistan, raising the total number of cases in the country to five in 2024.
The latest case involves a two-year-old child from Quetta, Balochistan, who tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). This was confirmed by the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
This marks the fifth polio case in Pakistan this year, with the previous cases including one from Sindh and three from Balochistan. 
Last year, the country recorded six polio cases: four in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Karachi.
Polio is a highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis, disability, and even death. Vaccination remains the most effective method of prevention, and Pakistan continues its efforts to immunize millions of children under the age of five to curb the spread of the disease.