Alarming spike: Pakistan confirms 2 more polio cases

An official of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Dawn News that the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio Eradication has confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus—one in Bannu and another in North Waziristan.

The official noted that access constraints in these regions continue to hinder eradication efforts, allowing virus transmission to persist and posing an ongoing risk to children’s health and safety.

“These cases were identified through the poliovirus surveillance network and confirmed by the WHO-accredited Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH),” the official added.

Earlier this year, the first polio case in Pakistan was reported from Sindh. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries in the world where polio continues to be detected.