Pakistan reports three new polio cases, raising tally to 59

Pakistan has confirmed three new cases of wild polio virus type 1 (WPV1), bringing the total number of polio cases in the country to 59 for the year.

The new cases were reported from Dera Ismail Khan, Karachi's Kemari district, and Kashmore. Laboratory tests have confirmed that the samples collected from children in these areas are genetically linked to the same WPV1 virus cluster.

Of the 59 cases reported so far, 26 are from Balochistan, 16 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 15 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

The resurgence of polio in these regions underscores the ongoing challenges in eradicating the virus, despite extensive vaccination campaigns. Health authorities are ramping up efforts to contain the spread, particularly in high-risk areas.