ISLAMABAD: The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) has confirmed two new cases of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in Pakistan, pushing the total number of cases reported this year to 52.
The National Reference Laboratory verified the latest cases, both detected in Tehsil Darazinda of Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The affected children include a three-year-old boy and a one-and-a-half-year-old girl.
Sources within the NEOC indicated that genetic analysis of the newly detected poliovirus is currently underway to trace its origin and transmission patterns.
The province-wise distribution of cases for 2024 now stands at 24 in Balochistan, 13 in Sindh, 13 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one case each in Punjab and Islamabad.
This update follows the earlier confirmation of Pakistan's 50th polio case last week, signaling the ongoing challenge of eradicating poliovirus in the country. For further context, the earlier report on the health crisis is available here.
The rise in cases underscores the urgent need for enhanced vaccination campaigns and robust healthcare strategies to combat polio's persistent threat in Pakistan.