Three more children diagnosed with polio in KP

PESHAWAR: Polio continued to hit children in the country as three more children were diagnosed with the virus on Thursday.

All the three polio cases were reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. And with the latest three cases, the total number of polio cases reached 27 in Pakistan in 2019.

Among the three children, a 21 months girl, resident of Saidgai village, Takhti Khel Union Council, was diagnosed with polio. She reportedly didn’t get any polio vaccine.

The child belongs to a poor family and her father is stated to be a driver.

The second polio case was reported from remote mountainous Torghar district, where a 10-month boy, resident of Gigani, Hernail union council of Judbah subdivision. This child is also stated to have received no dose. Third polio case was reported from Lakki Marwat where a 15 months boy, resident of Jadid Mamakhel, Mamakhel union council of Sarae Naurang subdivision. According to the officials, the child belongs to a poor family and his father is a labourer.

The area borders the Ghoriwala Union Council of the Bannu district that has become a headache for the government in terms of growing polio cases and challenges on ground. Out of 27 cases in the country, Punjab and Sindh reported three each polio cases and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 13 cases so far. In KP, Bannu is on top with nine cases, followed by North Waziristan with five cases while Lakki Marwat, Torghar, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan, Shangla, Khyber and reported one polio case each this year.