ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is witnessing a concerning rise in polio cases as the highly contagious virus has been detected for the first time in Gilgit-Baltistan.
According to health officials, the region’s first confirmed case has emerged from the Diamer district, where a 23-month-old child has tested positive for the poliovirus.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad has officially confirmed the presence of the virus in the child.
With this latest case, the total number of polio cases reported in Pakistan in 2025 has risen to 11.
Health authorities have expressed serious concern over the expanding reach of the virus, particularly to areas like Gilgit-Baltistan that were previously considered polio-free.
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. It primarily affects children under the age of five and can lead to permanent paralysis or even death in severe cases. The virus spreads through contaminated food and water or direct contact with an infected person. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented through multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV), which builds immunity in children.
Pakistan remains one of the few countries in the world where polio is still endemic. Despite repeated vaccination campaigns, challenges such as misinformation, vaccine refusal, and limited access in remote areas continue to hinder eradication efforts.
Health officials urge parents to ensure their children are vaccinated and to cooperate with polio teams during national immunization drives to help protect every child from this life-threatening disease.
