ISLAMABAD: The country has reported its third wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2025, with the latest victim being a 54-month-old girl from Ratodhero tehsil in Larkana district.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the case on Saturday.
This is the second polio case from Sindh this year, while the first was reported from Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The child, belonging to the Baloch tribe, developed symptoms on February 6 and is experiencing mild paralysis, with hypotonia in her left lower limb and reduced muscle power (4/5), though her sensations remain intact.
The last polio case in Larkana was reported in May 2020, making this a major setback for efforts to keep the district polio-free.
Last year, Pakistan had recorded a total of 74 polio cases—27 from Balochistan, 23 from Sindh, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
The first nationwide polio campaign of 2025, conducted from February 3 to 9, had achieved 99% of its target, vaccinating over 45 million children. A second round of the Big Catch-Up activity is currently underway, focusing on immunisation with EPI antigens.
Published in News Daily on 23-February-2025.