The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme confirmed the presence of wild poliovirus in environmental samples collected from seven additional districts.
According to a report issued by the Regional Polio Laboratory of the National Institute of Health (NIH) on Saturday, poliovirus was detected in sewage samples collected between May 8 and May 23 from Gwadar, Quetta, South Waziristan Lower, South Waziristan Upper, Rawalpindi, Larkana, and Mirpurkhas.
In contrast, environmental samples from Lahore and Pishin tested negative for the virus, offering a rare glimmer of optimism amid ongoing surveillance efforts.
Officials said a total of nine sewage samples were analysed as part of the environmental surveillance initiative to assess the spread of the virus in urban and rural settlements. The laboratory confirmed that the virus detected in all seven affected districts was of the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), the strain that continues to circulate endemically in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Continuous detection of poliovirus in sewage confirms silent transmission of the virus in communities and reinforces the urgency of vaccination efforts,” an official from the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) said.
Despite extensive national campaigns, Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where the virus is still endemic. This year alone, 12 poliovirus cases have been reported across the country — six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan.
On Friday, authorities reported the latest case in Bannu district, KP, underscoring the challenges in ensuring full vaccine coverage in the southern parts of the province, where access remains difficult and house-to-house campaigns are often hampered.
Meanwhile, growing resistance to vaccination in urban centres has also emerged as a worrying trend. The EOC in Karachi reported a surge in refusals, with at least 37,711 parents declining to vaccinate their children during the May campaign — up from 37,360 in April.
“The refusal rate during the anti-polio campaign remains a constant challenge,” the centre noted, citing misinformation and lack of awareness as key contributing factors. “Polio eradication requires ongoing support and cooperation from parents.”
The government has undertaken multiple immunisation drives this year in an effort to combat the spread of the virus. Three national campaigns, conducted in February, April, and May, successfully reached over 45 million children with the help of approximately 400,000 frontline workers — including 225,000 female vaccinators.
Health officials have pledged continued focus on high-risk union councils and are working closely with local leaders, religious scholars, and community influencers to address vaccine hesitancy and ensure that no child is left behind.
Polio, a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, primarily affects children under the age of five. The virus can invade the nervous system and cause irreversible paralysis or even death. While there is no cure, immunisation remains the most effective tool to prevent its spread.
Health authorities have reiterated the need for public cooperation to eliminate the disease entirely, urging parents not to fall prey to rumours or fears.
“Pakistan has made significant progress in the fight against polio, but the presence of the virus in the environment is a reminder that the battle is far from over,” an NIH official said.
