Polio tally climbs to 72 with three new cases in Sindh, K-P and Balochistan

Official statistics show 53 cases in K-P, eight in Sindh, six in Balochistan and five in Punjab this year

QUETTA/ PESHAWAR/ KARACHI: Total number of polio cases climbed to 72 in the country this year as three more cases of the deadly disease surfaced in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday.

In Sindh, a 17-month-old girl from Karachi's Orangi Town became the latest victim of polio, bringing the total number of cases in the city to four and eighth such case across the province.

The Emergency Operation Centre for Polio in Sindh, while sharing details about the latest case, said the child developed a fever and slight weakness in the right leg upon which she was taken to the doctors.

The case was classified as acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) following which she was tested positive for polio virus, it added.

Balochistan

Meanwhile, the Balochistan Health Department has said the total number of polio cases in the province had reached six this year after a 15-month-old boy was diagnosed with the disease.

According to the victim’s parents, the infant from Jaffarabad felt weakness in his legs and became paralysed after suffering from high fever.



The Emergency Polio Centre has also kicked off a special polio vaccination campaign after recent spike in the cases and officials are optimistic to control the epidemic.

According to the officials, a large number of families still refuse the vaccination which is a major bottleneck in polio eradication.

K-P

A 21-month-old boy has been diagnosed with the deadly disease in Hazara division's Torghar district, raising the total number of such cases to 53 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the family, the infant, whose blood sample was sent to National Institute of Healthcare in Islamabad on September 17, has now been tested positive for polio virus.

As per the country-wide figures, 72 polio cases have been reported during the current year including 53 cases from KP, eight from Sindh, six from Balochistan and five from Punjab.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, last month, expressed serious concern over recent spike in polio cases in the country and directed federal and provincial government officials to undertake effective awareness and immunisation campaigns to eliminate the disease.