First Polio Case of 2025 Reported in Pakistan
Peshawar:The first polio case of 2025 has been reported in Pakistan, with a 13-month-old girl in the Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa testing positive for the virus.
The child showed symptoms of polio on November 25, 2024. It is important to note that in 2024, Pakistan reported 68 polio cases, 21 of which were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Additionally, 27 cases were reported from Balochistan, 19 from Sindh, and one case each from Punjab and Islamabad.
Polio is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that affects the nervous system, potentially causing paralysis within hours. The virus primarily spreads through human feces and multiplies in the intestines.
Initial symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headaches, vomiting, neck stiffness, and pain in the limbs. Out of every 200 infections, one can lead to irreversible paralysis.
Polio mainly affects children under the age of five, but anyone who has not been vaccinated can contract the disease. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this debilitating illness; however, it can be prevented. The polio vaccine, which is administered multiple times, provides lifelong protection for the child.
The rise in polio cases highlights the ongoing challenge of eradicating this disease, and health authorities continue to stress the importance of vaccination to protect children from lifelong disability.
