Polio virus found in Peshawar, Faisalabad sewage

Polio has been confirmed in 34 environmental samples during this year

ISLAMABAD:

The polio virus has been found in the sewage samples collected from Peshawar and Faisalabad, a source in the Ministry of Health confirmed.

WPV1 is present in the sewages of Peshawar and Faisalabad. The polio virus is present in the sewage of three pumping stations in Faisalabad. Samples for the polio test were taken from Peshawar and Faisalabad on November 11 and confirmed later, according to the sources.

During this year, polio has been confirmed in 34 environmental samples, of which 22 were from K-P and nine from Punjab.

Sindh and Islamabad had one polio case each this year.

Last year, 65 polio sewage samples were found in the country. The anti-polio programme currently has 84 environmental sites, but this number will increase to 100 by the end of 2023.

Twenty cases of polio had been reported so far this year, of which 17 were reported from North Waziristan, one from South Waziristan, and two from Lakki Marwat.