Federal authorities have confirmed that traces of polio virus have been found in seven different cities of Pakistan including four cities from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Sewage samples were collected from cities across the country. Four cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province including Peshawar, Bannu, Nowshehra and Swat have shown that traces of polio virus were found.
Polio virus was also detected in the sewage samples of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Officials have also confirmed cases of polio virus in tribal areas. Thirteen confirmed polio cases were reported in North Waziristan and one case was reported from Lakki Marwat.
The results of several other cities where environmental samples for polio were collected have yet to be released.
There was one case of poliovirus in Pakistan in 2021 and 84 cases in 2020. The total count of poliovirus cases in Pakistan in 2019 was 147.
Though the polio immunization campaign in the country started in 1974, the efforts for eradication officially started in 1994.
Some of the reasons which affect the eradication of polio are political unrest, poor health infrastructure, and government negligence.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries with poliovirus in the world currently.
