Pakistan’s fight against polio continues with the confirmation of a fifth case this year. A two-year-old child from Quetta City, Balochistan province, developed paralysis in April and tragically passed away weeks later.
The Health Ministry announced the case on Saturday, stating that samples from the child, his brother, and his cousin all tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). This specific strain belongs to the imported YB3A cluster.
Balochistan has become a focal point in the fight against polio. This latest case marks the first in Quetta in four years, and the province has seen over 50 environmental samples test positive for the virus this year, with 21 found in Quetta alone.
Pakistan’s health officials are working diligently to contain the outbreak. Their efforts focus on closing the transmission gap, increasing polio vaccination coverage, and strengthening overall childhood immunization rates in Balochistan.
The confirmation of this case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat polio poses to children in Pakistan. Continued vigilance and robust vaccination campaigns remain crucial to eradicating this debilitating disease.
