PESHAWAR, (TDI): The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) reported Pakistan’s 50th polio case of 2024 on Tuesday, raising fresh concerns about the country’s efforts to eradicate the virus.
The latest case involves a 20-month-old girl from Tank district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the National Reference Laboratory confirmed the presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1).
This is the second polio case reported from Tank this year, with a genetic link established to a previous case in July from the same region.
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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has now recorded 11 polio cases in 2024, while Balochistan remains the hardest-hit province, with 24 cases so far. Sindh has reported 13 cases, and both Punjab and Islamabad have each reported one case.
Authorities continue to emphasize the critical need for vaccination campaigns, particularly in high-risk areas, to prevent further spread of the virus.
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In response to the growing concerns, sources have confirmed that international health organizations will be visiting Pakistan later this month to assess the situation and offer additional support for the ongoing vaccination efforts.
