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       ISLAMABAD: The wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in environmental samples collected from 26 already infected districts, officials have confirmed.

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       The detection of poliovirus in environmental samples indicates the disease’s presence in these districts.

       According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), the samples were collected from Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Jamshoro, Kambar, Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi Keamari, Karachi Korangi, Karachi Malir, Karachi South, Mirpur Khas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sujawal, Sukkur, Chaman, Loralai, Pishin, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Bajour, Peshawar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.

       This year, environmental samples from over 80 districts have been found positive for the presence of the virus, while 67 cases have been reported.

       Earlier this month, the virus was detected in sewage samples collected from Charsadda, a previously uninfected district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

       Pakistan has seen a resurgence of WPV1 this year, forcing the government to ramp up the efforts to control the disease.

       Last week, a sub-national vaccination campaign was carried out across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad, immunising over 42 million children, according to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme.

       The campaign’s second phase is scheduled to begin on December 30 in Balochistan.

       Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2024