Another polio case in Karachi brings this year's tally to 84

One-year-old child, identified as Murad, is reportedly the latest victim of the crippling virus.


Web Desk June 27, 2014

KARACHI: Another polio case surfaced in Karachi on Friday bringing the total number of cases in the country to 84 so far this year, Express News reported.

One-year-old child, identified as Murad, is reportedly the latest victim of the crippling virus. The child is a resident of Landhi.

Up till now 65 cases have been reported from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), 12 from Khyber-Paktunkhwa (K-P) and now seven from Sindh.

Pakistan is one of only three countries in the world where polio is still endemic but efforts to stamp out the crippling disease have been hit by repeated attacks on health teams.

Gunmen have frequently attacked polio vaccination workers, accusing them of being Western spies and part of a plot to sterilise Muslims.

A global eradication campaign has reduced polio cases by 99.9 per cent in the last three decades, but it remains endemic in Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The disease is highly infectious and can cause irreversible paralysis.

COMMENTS (10)

common sense | 9 years ago | Reply

Can't we make polio vaccination mandatory on people entering Karachi from FATA/KP?

hasan | 9 years ago | Reply

I think PTI & IK is responsible. KPK government is responsible. They have been in power for decades !

VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ