Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in environmental samples of three districts of Pakistan.
The Pakistan Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health has notified that the virus has been isolated from sewage samples taken from Lahore on September 26 and from Hub and Peshawar districts on September 20.
The virus found in the three samples belongs to the virus cluster circulating in Afghanistan, according to the lab, which is also the WHO Regional Reference Lab.
Federal Minister for Health Dr. Nadeem Jan said the persistent detection of the virus in the environment is a major cause of concern, highlighting that it is moving with people and posing a great risk to children everywhere.
“The virus does not discriminate; its core aim is to infect children,” he said. “Pakistan has conducted multiple polio campaigns this year; we will continue to enhance our vaccination activities and strategize to ensure children remain protected.”
Pakistan has now reported 38 positive environmental samples in 2023 – 14 of them from Peshawar alone, while three children have been paralyzed by the virus.
