Poliovirus found in 36% of samples from 87 districts

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Tuesday confirmed the presence of poliovirus in 42 of 117 sewage samples collected from 87 districts nationwide in July, raising concerns about the virus's continued circulation despite intensified eradication efforts.

According to the NIH's Regional Reference Laboratory, the positive samples accounted for nearly 36% of the total tested, compared to 32% in June. Out of 127 sewage samples collected, 75 tested negative, 42 positive, and 10 are still under analysis.

Sindh recorded the highest detections, with 19 of 29 samples testing positive, followed by Punjab with 12 of 27.