The polio virus has been detected in 18-month-old boy in the Zhob district of Balochistan, taking the total number of reported polio cases in the country to nine in 2024. According to the detail, the child in the Hassan Zai Urban area of Zhob district was diagnosed with polio virus, with symptoms appearing on June 28. PM’s Coordinator on Health Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed said that the genetic testing of the virus is still underway. He confirmed that so far nine children in the country have been affected by polio in the current, with seven cases reported only from Balochistan. Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed expressed concern over the resurgence of polio in the region, saying that the presence of the virus in over 50 districts poses a threat to children.

Earlier on June 28, Pakistan reported two polio cases from Sindh and Balochistan in the country, bringing the total number of cases in the country to eight in 2024. The National Institute of Health confirmed the two polio cases, a two-year-old child from Qila Abdullah from Balochistan and a 3-year-old girl from Karachi Kemari. It has been reported that the symptoms of disability in children appeared on May 22 and June 3, respectively. The virus found in the samples belongs to the YB3 cluster of polioviruses.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan