Poliovirus found in sewage sample of Hub, three other previously infected districts

ISLAMABAD: The regional reference laboratory for polio eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad has confirmed the detection of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) from a new district, Hub, and three other previously infected districts. This brings the total count of infected districts for the year 2024 to 34.

In Hub, the environmental sample was collected on April 17, 2024 from the ‘Jumma Khan Bazar Pul’ environmental sample collection site, which is the first positive sample from district Hub this year. The previous positive sample from the district was collected on December 18, 2023.

The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.66 percent genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in Karachi East on January 11, 2024.

In Karachi Central, the environmental sample was collected on April 3, 2024 from the ‘Haji Mureed Goth’ environmental sample collection site, which is the fourth positive sample from district Karachi Central this year.

The previous three positive samples in Karachi Central were collected on January 2, February 15 and March 6, 2024, an official said, adding that isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.77 percent genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in the same district i.e. Karachi Central on March 6, 2024.

In Karachi South, the environmental sample was collected on April 4, 2024 from the ‘Hijrat Colony’ environmental sample collection site, which is the seventh positive sample from district Karachi South this year. The previous six positive samples were collected on January 4, January 16, February 19, February 22, March 12 and March 18, 2024.

“The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.77 percent genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in Karachi Keamari on January 3, 2024,” an official of the polio added.

In Jamshoro, the environmental sample was collected on April 16, 2024 from the ‘Drain KB Feeder’ environmental sample collection site, which is the third positive sample from district Jamshoro this year.

The previous two positive samples were collected on January 2 and April 2, 2024. The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.44 percent genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in Karachi East on February 20, 2024.

It is worth mentioning here that total detections in 2024 reach 116 from 34 districts in comparison with 126 from 28 districts in 2023.