Pakistan reports first polio case of 2023

PESHAWAR – Pakistan has reported the first polio case of this year as the health authorities detected it in Bannu city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A three-year old child has been diagnosed with the polio disease in the city as a five-day anti-polio vaccination drive continues in Punjab and Sindh.

In the campaign, more than 21.54 million children under the age of five will be immunized against the virus. The vaccination drive is being held in two phases due to ongoing seventh national census.

In the first phase, over 17 million children in thirteen districts of Punjab and sixteen districts of Sindh and Islamabad will be vaccinated.

The second phase will be started from third of next month to vaccinate more than 4.12 million children in twelve districts of Balochistan and 26 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Last year, the South Asian country reported 20 cases and most of them were detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Polio is a highly infectious and debilitating disease that is usually spread through contaminated water or food. Invading the nervous system, the disease can cause total paralysis within hours.

The contagious virus thrived in the borderlands between Pakistan and Afghanistan where militants attacked and even killed anti-polio teams.

Five-day anti-polio drive begins in Punjab, Sindh