Poliovirus has been detected in environmental samples from 20 different districts across Pakistan, according to a statement released by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) on Sunday.
Samples from areas including Quetta, Khuzdar, Lahore, Multan, Nooriabad, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, and Bahawalpur tested positive for the virus. However, good news came from 31 other districts, where 35 environmental samples showed no signs of the virus.
Separately, the Ministry of National Health Services confirmed that Balochistan remains a hotspot, with polio traces found in samples from nine of its districts — including Quetta, Duki, Kech, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Loralai, Pishin, Nasirabad, and Usta Muhammad — between March 5 and March 19.
Despite these findings, health officials pointed out that the overall spread of polio and the number of reported cases have dropped compared to previous years. This progress is being credited to ongoing nationwide immunization efforts.
To keep up the momentum, a major national polio vaccination campaign is scheduled for April 21–27. Health workers aim to immunize over 45 million children under the age of five during this drive. Authorities are urging parents to ensure their children receive the polio drops, which are crucial in preventing the disease.
“Polio has no cure, but it is preventable,” said an NEOC official. “We need every child under five to be vaccinated to protect them from lifelong paralysis.”
The Pakistan Polio Programme also reported the country’s sixth polio case of 2025 from Thatta district in Sindh on March 1. So far this year, Sindh has reported four cases, while Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have reported one case each.
Last year, Pakistan saw a troubling rise in polio cases, with 74 reported nationwide. Balochistan was the most affected province with 27 cases, followed by Sindh (23), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (22), and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, the other being Afghanistan. Health authorities stress that consistent vaccination is the only way to fully eradicate the virus and protect future generations.
