Polio continues to cripple Pakistan as virus yet again detected across 20 sewage samples

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 13 : Poliovirus has been detected in 20 sewage sample testing across Pakistan, as reported by ARY News on Sunday citing National Reference Laboratory.

As per Ary News, referring to details, the National Reference Laboratory has completed nationwide sewage sample testing, with the Poliovirus detected in a total of 28 sewage samples from 20 districts, including Islamabad, have tested positive for the virus.

Citing sources, Ary News observed that the environmental samples collected from sewer lines tested positive for Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1). These environmental samples were taken between May 8 and June 17.

In Sindh, 14 sewage samples from 10 districts tested positive for polio. Three samples in Lahore also came back positive. In Balochistan, samples from three districtsMastung, Khuzdar, and Sibiconfirmed the presence of poliovirus.

Five samples from four districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also tested positive. Two samples from two locations in Islamabad were also confirmed positive. In PoJK, one sample from district Mirpur tested positive for the poliovirus.

Earlier this year, Pakistan had recorded over 60,000 cases of polio vaccine refusal during its nationwide anti-polio campaign conducted between April 21 and 27 this year, according to a report by ARY News citing official sources.

The ARY News report stated that a total of 60,906 polio vaccine refusals were documented during the country's second national polio eradication drive of 2025. Sindh reported the highest number of refusals, with 39,073 cases, out of which more than 37,000 were from Karachi alone, the report said.

Balochistan followed with over 3,500 refusal cases, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded a vaccine refusal rate of 0.4 per cent, according to the data.

Instances of parental refusal were also reported from Punjab and Islamabad, as per the ARY News report.

The reluctance to vaccinate remains a significant hurdle in Pakistan's battle against polio. The latest data comes amid confirmation of another new polio case in the country, bringing the total number of cases in 2025 to 13.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. The virus is transmitted person-to-person, mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, contaminated water or food), and multiplies in the intestine.

The disease can cause paralysis and even death, with no cure available. However, vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completing the routine vaccination schedule for children under five are crucial to providing high immunity against polio.

Children under 5 years of age are mainly affected by polio, according to the WHO. However, anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract the disease. There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented. The polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life.

Pakistan is one of the two polio-endemic nations in the world, alongside Afghanistan. The number of polio cases reduced significantly every year in Pakistan until the recent rise in cases.

Despite national campaigns being conducted in Pakistan to eradicate polio, southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains a challenge due to access issues and barriers to house-to-house vaccination, leaving many children unvaccinated and vulnerable.

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