Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication confirms detection of wild poliovirus in sewerage samples of Quetta, Chaman, Loralai, Noshki and Zhob

Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication confirms detection of wild poliovirus in sewerage samples of Quetta, Chaman, Loralai, Noshki and Zhob

QUETTA:The environmental sewerage samples of five districts of Balochistan have been tested positive for the poliovirus type 1.
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the NIH confirmed detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in the sewerage samples of Quetta, Chaman, Loralai, Noshki and Zhob.
In addition to this, 20 more districts of the country have also been detected the poliovirus. The districts are included: Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Badin, Dadu, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Jamshoro, Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi Keamari, Karachi Korangi, Karachi Malir, Mirpurkhas, Sujawal and Sukkur.
While the samples from Kotli, Mirpur, Faisalabad, Rajanpur, Sialkot, Multan, Hyderabad, Kashmore, Hangu, Karak, Kohat, Swabi, Peshawar, and Islamabad tested negative for poliovirus.
It may be mentioned here that in all 44 environmental (sewage) samples collected from 36 districts between February 3 and February 12 were tested at the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the NIH during the past week.
Meanwhile, an official press release issued here by NIH stated that the Polio Programme is implementing a rigorous vaccination schedule to protect children from paralytic polio and interrupt virus transmission.
The first nationwide polio campaign of 2025 reached over 45 million children with the vaccine earlier this month, while a fIPV-OPV campaign in Quetta Division and Karachi was held between 20 and 28 February vaccinating around 0.9 million children with the injectable and oral polio vaccines for an added immunity boost. This campaign is aligned with the Big Catch-Up also being implemented nationwide by the Expanded Programme on Immunization to immunize missed or under-vaccinated children against 12 preventable childhood diseases.
Moreover, a targeted vaccination activity in 104 union councils bordering Afghanistan or having Afghan refugee camps/populations was also held this week to reduce the risk of cross-border and internal poliovirus transmission, vaccinating over 0.6 million children.
The Polio Programme urged all parents to get their children vaccinated against polio at every opportunity to keep them protected from this devastating disease.