–21-month girl from Bannu, 15-month Lakki Marwat boy fall prey to the virus
ISLAMABAD: In what is being seen as a setback for the government’s efforts to eliminate poliovirus in the country, two new cases surfaced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday, increasing the total of this year’s cases to 26.
Sources within the health ministry said the two cases have been reported from two districts– Bannu and Lakki Marwat. One of them was confirmed from a stool sample –taken on June 8– of a 21-month old baby girl of Wazir tehsil of Bannu.
The second case was reported from Mamakhail UC of Lakki Marwat district where a 15-month-old boy was tested positive for poliovirus.
It is noteworthy that thus far three cases each have been reported from Punjab and Sindh provinces whereas 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and seven from the newly merged tribal districts of the province this year.
Earlier this month, sewage samples collected from gutters of 11 sampling sites in the metropolis had confirmed the prevalence of poliovirus in Karachi.
The World Health Organization (WHO) had collected samples in Karachi to assess the prevalence of the crippling virus in the city.
According to sources, the samples were collected from gutters in Karachi during the period from April 05 to May 16.
The WHO gathered samples from 11 localities in the city to examine the situation of poliovirus.
The samples were collected from sampling sites of Hijrat Colony, Machhar Colony, Khameso Goth, Rashid Minhas Road, Korangi, Bakhtawar Village Landhi, Haji Mureed Goth, Sohrab Goth, Mohammad Khan Colony, Orangi Nallah, Orangi Colony and PIDC Colony.
