Karachi West, Quetta, and Kohat are the districts where the poliovirus has been detected, underscoring the loophole in the vaccination process.
Wednesday saw five more environmental samples test positive for polio, bringing this year’s total to 153 across 39 districts, up from 126 in 2023 across 28 districts.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad confirmed the new detections of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) in four previously impacted districts: Karachi East (two samples), Karachi Central, Quetta, and Kohat (one each).
An anonymous lab official explained that a positive environmental sample indicates the presence of the poliovirus in sewage, highlighting gaps in vaccination efforts.
He expressed concern about fake finger marking during vaccination campaigns in Pakistan, undermining eradication efforts. The official emphasized the need for political intervention to avoid travel restrictions and prevent the virus from spreading to other countries.
