Islamabad, Feb. 16 (UNI) Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in environmental samples collected from eight districts of Pakistan between Jan. 15 and Jan. 24, 2025, the National Institute of Health (NIH) said in a statement on Saturday.
According to the latest data released by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the NIH, sewage samples collected from four districts of the country’s southwest Balochistan province and three districts of northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province tested positive for WPV1 as of Friday.
The NIH stressed the need for multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and the completion of the routine immunization schedule for children under 5 to ensure high immunity.
To curb the spread of the poliovirus, Pakistan’s Polio Program conducts mass vaccination drives, delivering vaccines to children at their doorsteps, the statement said.
The first nationwide polio campaign of 2025, conducted from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, successfully vaccinated over 45 million children, achieving 99 percent of the targeted coverage across the country, the statement said.
The campaign aimed to ensure that all children under 5 receive polio drops, safeguarding them from the crippling effects of the virus.
Pakistan remains one of the few countries where polio is still endemic, making vaccination campaigns critical to eradicating the disease.
