Pakistan reports three new polio case as tally jumps to 17 this year

Pakistan has reported three new polio cases — two from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and one from Sindh — bringing the country’s total number of polio cases for 2025 to 17.

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad confirmed the latest detections in Lakki Marwat, North Waziristan, and Umerkot.

According to the press release, the cases involve a 15-month-old girl from Union Council (UC) Takhtikhel in Lakki Marwat, a six-month-old girl from UC Mir Ali-3 in North Waziristan, and a five-year-old boy from UC Chajro in District Umerkot, Sindh.

“With these new detections, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has risen to 17 — including 10 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, five from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan,” the statement read.

Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for every child under five during each campaign, along with the timely completion of all essential immunisations,” it said.

Meanwhile, a special vaccination campaign is currently underway from 21 to 27 July in the bordering Union Councils, synchronised with Afghanistan’s sub-national polio campaign.

“In addition, a fractional IPV-OPV campaign began in District Chaman on July 21 and will roll out in the other six districts of Balochistan from July 28, the statement said.