Polio tally for 2024 continues to pile up as more cases surface

KARACHI: Another case of poliovirus has been confirmed from Karachi. However, since the instance of the virus took place last year and the sample was collected in 2024, it is still counted among the tally for 2024. With this new case, the total number of polio virus cases has increased to 70.

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Era­dication at the National Institute of Health confirmed the wild poliovirus type 1 in a boy from Karachi’s East district. This case makes the total number of polio cases arising from Karachi’s East district to be two in 2024.

Of the total 70 reported cases so far one case came from federal capital Islamabad, one from Punjab, 21 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 20 from Sindh and 27 from Balochistan.

The cases continue to pile up despite multiple nationwide anti-polio vaccination campaigns. The last such campaign for 2024 started om December 16, with Balochistan kicking off the vaccination drives from December 30. Kurram in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not gain access to the vaccinations due to the lockdown imposed after security situation deteriorated in the district.

The new year’s first nationwide vaccination campaign is scheduled to begin on February 3 and will continue until February 9.

Also read: Saudi Arabia mandates polio certificates for travellers from Pakistan