Wild poliovirus detected in Lahore sewer
ISLAMABAD – Another wild poliovirus has been detected in Lahore on Multan Road.
The virus detection was confirmed by the WHO Regional Reference Laboratory at the National Institute of Health. This is the fourth WPV1 detection this year from Lahore, where the last time a child was paralyzed by polio was in July 2020.
Three of the four samples in Lahore have been genetically linked to a virus cluster in Afghanistan.
“While the presence of the virus is always concerning, the Pakistan Polio Programme has vastly expanded its poliovirus surveillance system. Today, we are testing more than double the number of samples we tested last year. So, these detections highlight the strength of the system to be able to timely detect the virus,” said Federal Health Minister Dr. Nadeem Jan.
This year, the Polio Laboratory tested over 1,700 samples, of which 22, or nearly 1%, have been detected with wild poliovirus.
Two children have been paralyzed by polio in 2023 so far. Both children belong to Bannu, among the seven districts in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that remain polio endemic.
Federal Health Secretary Iftikhar Shallwani said the top priority of the Health Ministry is polio eradication.
“Polio eradication is not just an objective; it is the topmost priority for the Health Ministry. Every child deserves a life free from the threat of polio, and we are dedicated to making this a reality,” Shallwani said.
A polio vaccination campaign is ongoing in Lahore that will conclude on September 10.