Polio Virus Detected in Environmental Samples from 8 Districts of Balochistan
The presence of polio virus has been confirmed in environmental samples from eight districts of Balochistan, according to Pakistan’s Anti-Polio Program. The affected districts include Zhob, Nushki, Lasbela, Hub, Khuzdar, Nasirabad, Dera Bugti, and Osta Muhammad. In addition to Balochistan, environmental samples from 13 other districts across the country have also tested positive for polio virus. These districts include Islamabad, Charsadda, Peshawar, Swabi, Tank, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Lahore, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Karachi East, and Muzaffarabad.
The environmental samples were collected between January 8 and 23 of this year. Previously, in December 2024, polio virus had also been detected in environmental samples from ten districts of Balochistan, including Quetta, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Nushki, Mastung, Duki, Barkhan, Qilla Saifullah, Kech, and Sibi.
The first anti-polio campaign of this year in Balochistan began on February 3 and has since concluded. The confirmation of polio virus in these environmental samples is a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced in eradicating polio in Pakistan, despite extensive vaccination efforts.
