Polio case ‘detected’ in GB’s Diamer, virus genetically linked to Karachi

GILGIT: A new case of wild poliovirus has been reported from Tangir Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer district, with preliminary lab analysis linking the virus to a strain previously detected in Karachi’s Liaquatabad area, officials told The News on Saturday.

According to health sources, the affected child is a two-year-old boy who had received oral polio drops but had not completed the full course of routine immunisation, which is essential for full protection against the virus.

Genetic sequencing has indicated that the virus belongs to cluster YB3A4A and bears a 99.45 percent similarity to a strain previously reported in Karachi Central’s Liaquatabad locality (PAK24-ES).

“The child has never travelled outside of his village, which suggests the virus may have been introduced by a carrier passing through the area,” a source familiar with the matter said. When contacted, Gilgit-Baltistan’s Secretary Health Asif Ullah Khan said that the case has not yet been officially confirmed, but a suspected case has indeed been reported. “Further verification and investigation are underway,” he added.

However insiders confirmed that lab test confirmed the child contracted the virus.

Diamer is classified as a high-risk district due to low immunisation coverage in several pockets and regular human mobility through major transit routes. Health officials caution that the risk of onward transmission exists unless immediate containment measures are undertaken and cooperation from local population is fully sought. Officials have raised concerns about possible surveillance gaps in Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) detection and environmental monitoring in the region. To contain potential spread, authorities have recommended a series of urgent measures. These include enhanced AFP surveillance, collection of stool samples from the child’s close contacts, and launching a Rapid Response immunisation round in Diamer and high-risk pockets of adjacent districts.

Special focus is being placed on reaching mobile, nomadic, and transit populations along the Chilas-Babusar and Chilas-Mansehra routes. Transit vaccination teams at key entry points - including Babusar Top, Thor Nullah, Gonar Farm, and the Chilas Bus Stand - are being strengthened. Efforts are also underway to engage local religious leaders and community influencers to build public trust in vaccination campaigns. The suspected polio case, with a viral link to Karachi, underscores the persistent risk of virus importation and highlights the urgency of coordinated action to safeguard Gilgit-Baltistan’s polio-free status.