Polio case surfaces in Shangla

Total number of children infected by the crippling disease in the country rises to 17

SHANGLA: A polio case surfaced in Shangla district of Malakand division on Thursday after the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad confirmed the virus in an 18-month-old child, taking the total number of children infected by the crippling disease in the country to 17.

According to the district administration, the infected child’s samples were dispatched to the NIH a few days ago after symptoms of polio were reported during treatment at a tertiary care hospital in Abbottabad.

The family told the media that their child had fever for the last six months and that they could not afford better doctors as they were not that well off.

“The local medical officer has referred us to Abbottabad for further treatment,” they added.

The medical officer said initial check-up revealed that the child was suffering from acute facial paralysis disease.

“For further investigation, his samples were dispatched to the NIH, where polio virus has been confirmed in his report,” he added.

The immunisation record showed that the child had not even once been administered vaccine during the anti-polio campaign.