Poliovirus found first time in sewage of Balochistan’s Usta Muhammad

ISLAMABAD: The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad has confirmed the detection of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) from a new district, Usta Muhammad, and nine other previously infected districts. This brings the total count of infected districts for the year 2024 to 31, officials said on Saturday.

In addition to Usta Muhammad in Balochistan, poliovirus was also found in three sewage samples from Quetta, one each from Mastung, Sibi, Nasirabad, Karachi East, South and Korangi, Peshawar and Kohat.

In Usta Muhammad, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Van Stand Usta Muhammad’ environmental sample collection site, which is the first positive sample from District Usta Muhammad since the initiation of environmental sampling from the site. The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.66% genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in Quetta on 20th November 2023.

In Quetta, the environmental samples were collected on 16th March 2024 from the ‘Tawoosabad’ environmental sample collection site on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Surpul’ environmental sample collection site and on 19th March 2024 from the ‘Jatak Killi and Takhthani’ environmental sample collection site.

In Mastung, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Adalat Road’ environmental sample collection site, which is the 2nd positive sample from District Mastung this year. The previous positive sample from the district was collected on 21st February 2024. The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.89% genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in the same district (i.e. Mastung) on 21st February 2024.

In Sibi, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Main Ganda Nala Allah Abad’ environmental sample collection site, which is the 3rd positive sample from District Sibi this year. The previous two positive samples were collected on 15th January and 19th February 2024. The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.44% genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in Quetta on 20th November 2023.

Similarly in Nasirabad, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Wapda Colony’ environmental sample collection site, which is the 3rd positive sample from District Nasirabad this year. The previous two positive samples were collected on 15th January and 19th February 2024. The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.33% genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in Quetta on 20th November 2023.

In Karachi East, the environmental sample was collected on 14th March 2024 from the ‘Sohrab Goth’ environmental sample collection site, which is the 13th positive sample from District Karachi East this year. In Karachi South, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Manzoor Colony Nalla’ environmental sample collection site. In Korangi Karachi, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Korangi Nalla’ environmental sample collection site, which is the 3rd positive sample from District Karachi Korangi this year.

In Peshawar, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Shaheen Town’ environmental sample collection site, which is the 9th positive sample from District Peshawar this year while in Kohat, the environmental sample was collected on 18th March 2024 from the ‘Faqirabad’ environmental sample collection site, which is the 2nd positive sample from District Kohat this year. The previous positive sample from Kohat was collected on 13th February 2024. The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.44% genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in the same district (i.e. Kohat) on 14th November 2023.