Poliovirus confirmed in 11 more environmental samples

ISLAMABAD: 11 more environmental samples collected from several cities have tested positive for wild poliovirus 1 (WPV1) quoting officials from the country’s polio eradication programme.

“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad has confirmed the detection of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) in 11 environmental (sewage) samples collected in October 2023 (four from Peshawar, three from Quetta Block, two from Karachi and one each from Bannu & Lahore),” an official told.

In Balochistan, poliovirus was found in Pishin, Chaman and Quetta, the official said.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, poliovirus was detected at the ‘Hinjil Noorabad’ environmental sample collection site in Bannu, which is the second positive sample from District Bannu this year.

Similarly, poliovirus was detected at four sites ‘Naray Khuwar’, ‘Hayatabad 1&2’, ‘Yousafabad & Tajabad’ and ‘Gulabad & Chungee’ composite environmental sample collection sites. In Karachi, the environmental sample (Grab) was collected from the ‘Orangi Nala’ environmental sample collection site, which is the third positive sample from Keamari this year.

Similarly, in District Karachi Central, the environmental sample (BMFS) was collected on October 4, 2023 from the ‘Haji Mureed Goth’ environmental sample collection site.

On Sept 2, a polio virus was found for the second time in Rawalpindi district during a sewage sampling carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to an official of the District Health Authority, the polio virus was found in a sample collected from a nullah at Safdarabad near Pirwadhai.

He said the sewage sample from Safdardabad was collected on August 10 and the virus was stated to be genetically linked to YB3A cluster, which is active in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.