Poliovirus Detected in Sewage Across 26 Districts, Urgent Vaccination Campaign Announced

Islamabad: Sewage samples from 26 districts have tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), as confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health. The detections were made from environmental samples collected between January 6 and January 15, 2025.

According to a statement by Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, the affected districts include Badin, Ghotki, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Kambar, Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi Korangi, Karachi Malir, Karachi South, Karachi West, Karachi Keamari, Mirpurkhas, Sujawal, Sukkur, Abbotabad, Bajour, DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, Peshawar, Chaman, Loralai, Quetta, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi.

Polio remains a paralyzing disease with no cure, and the oral polio vaccine is vital in every campaign to provide immunity to children under five years old. The Pakistan Polio Program is actively conducting mass vaccination drives, delivering vaccines directly to children’s homes, while the Expanded Program on Immunization offers vaccinations against 12 childhood diseases at no cost through health facilities.

The first polio vaccination campaign of the year is set for February 3 to February 9, 2025, nationwide. Authorities emphasize the importance of parents ensuring that all children under five receive the vaccine to protect them from the disease.

The post Poliovirus Detected in Sewage Across 26 Districts, Urgent Vaccination Campaign Announced appeared first on pakistannewsgazette.com.

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