New Polio Case Reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan's Tally for 2024 Reaches 50

The latest case involves a 20-month-old girl from Union Council Malazai in the Tank district. The National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad has confirmed the presence of the poliovirus in the child.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported another case of polio, raising the total number of cases across Pakistan this year to 50, according to the provincial health department.

Details of the New Case

The latest case involves a 20-month-old girl from Union Council Malazai in the Tank district. The National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad has confirmed the presence of the poliovirus in the child. This marks the second polio case reported from Tank this year.

National Overview

The provincial distribution of polio cases in Pakistan for 2024 is as follows:

• Balochistan: 24 cases (the highest in the country)
• Sindh: 13 cases
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 11 cases
• Punjab: 1 case
• Islamabad: 1 case

Rising Concerns

The resurgence of polio cases highlights the ongoing challenges in eradicating the virus in Pakistan, one of the last two countries in the world where polio remains endemic. Health officials are intensifying vaccination efforts, especially in high-risk areas, to curb the spread of the virus.

Also Read: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Debt Hits Record High: A 150 Billion Rupee Spike in a Single Year

The detection of this latest case underscores the urgency of ensuring all children are immunized against this preventable disease.