Pakistan reports ninth polio case in 2026

November 6, 2026

Pakistan has reported its ninth polio case of 2026 after a seven-month-old child tested positive for the virus in Khyber district, raising concerns about the spread of the disease across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Health officials confirmed on Thursday that the infected child belongs to Union Council Mastak in Bara tehsil. It is the third polio case reported from Khyber district this year, taking the total in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to seven. Sindh has reported the other two cases.

Genetic tests have linked all three cases in Khyber district to poliovirus strains circulating in Afghanistan. The findings highlight the risk of cross-border transmission, especially in areas where people frequently travel between the two countries.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where wild poliovirus remains active. Security problems, population movement, limited access to some communities and missed vaccinations continue to create challenges for eradication efforts.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers both countries a single region for polio control. It has also raised concerns about restrictions on vaccination in some parts of Afghanistan, where house-to-house campaigns have been limited.

Meanwhile, sewage samples collected from the Peshawar surveillance block, covering Peshawar and Khyber districts, have also tested positive for poliovirus. This suggests that the virus continues to circulate in the area despite repeated vaccination campaigns.

Pakistan recorded 74 polio cases in 2024 and 31 in 2025. The number has fallen to nine so far in 2026, but health officials warn that the threat remains.

The government is conducting a nationwide seven-day polio vaccination campaign from November 2 to 8. It aims to vaccinate around 24 million children under five in 97 districts.

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has urged parents to ensure their children receive polio drops, even if they have been vaccinated before.

Officials say repeated doses are necessary to build strong immunity. They have stressed that better routine vaccination and cooperation with Afghanistan are essential to ending polio in the region.