Pakistan has recently confirmed three new polio cases, with two from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and one from Sindh, bringing the total number of cases in the country for 2025 to 17. The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad identified the latest cases in Lakki Marwat, North Waziristan, and Umerkot. These cases involve a 15-month-old girl from Union Council (UC) Takhtikhel in Lakki Marwat, a six-month-old girl from UC Mir Ali-3 in North Waziristan, and a five-year-old boy from UC Chajro in District Umerkot, Sindh.
The total number of polio cases in Pakistan this year has now risen to 17, with 10 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, five from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can lead to lifelong paralysis. The most effective protection against polio is the administration of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to every child under five during vaccination campaigns, along with ensuring the completion of all essential immunizations. Furthermore, a special vaccination campaign is currently ongoing from 21 to 27 July in bordering Union Councils, coordinated with Afghanistan’s sub-national polio campaign. Additionally, a fractional IPV-OPV campaign commenced in District Chaman on July 21 and will expand to the other six districts of Balochistan from July 28.
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