A new case of wild poliovirus (WPV1) has been confirmed in district Torghar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, bringing Pakistan’s 2025 polio tally to 30.
The virus was detected in a 12-month-old boy from Union Council Ghari, Torghar, marking the second case from the district. The provincial breakdown stands at 19 cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Environmental surveillance continued in September 2025, with the Pakistan Polio Programme collecting 127 sewage samples from 87 districts nationwide.
Of these, 81 returned negative and 44 tested positive for poliovirus, while two samples are still being processed. Province-wise, Balochistan recorded 21 negative and two positive samples. Punjab had 22 negative, eight positive and one under process, and KP reported 24 negative and 10 positive.
Sindh reported seven negative, 21 positive and one under process; Islamabad had four negative and one positive; Azad Jammu and Kashmir returned three negative, while and Gilgit-Baltistan reported one negative and one positive.
Officials say overall positive detections have declined, reflecting the impact of recent high-quality vaccination campaigns, but virus circulation persists in specific high-risk areas, underscoring the need for sustained, targeted efforts to interrupt transmission.
Polio is highly contagious and incurable, with the potential to cause lifelong paralysis. Effective protection depends on repeated doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for every child under five during each campaign, alongside the timely completion of all routine immunisations.
The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) has intensified operations to sustain comprehensive coverage and ensure high-quality campaigns in vulnerable areas. The National Task Force has endorsed the 2025-26 roadmap to halt transmission through multiple supplementary immunisation activities and by strengthening routine immunisation.
The fourth national polio vaccination campaign of 2025 concluded last week, reaching over 44 million children, while the campaign in South KP is currently underway from October 20-23.
Eradication remains a shared responsibility. More than 400,000 frontline workers continue door-to-door vaccination, and parents and caregivers are urged to ensure children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunisations.
Community leaders, teachers, religious scholars and the media can further support by countering misinformation and encouraging uptake so that every child is protected and Pakistan stays on course for a polio-free future.
