72nd polio case of 2024 reported from DI Khan

ISLAMABAD: The 72nd case of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) for 2024 has been confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health.

Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) officials Wednesday reported that the latest victim is a young girl from Dera Ismail Khan in South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with symptoms of the disease emerging on December 31. Dera Ismail Khan has emerged as a polio hotspot, reporting 11 cases throughout 2024 despite ongoing vaccination efforts by the Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI). Of the 72 cases confirmed last year, Balochistan reported 27 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 22, Sindh 21 and Punjab and Islamabad one each.